Re: Meet Super-rich beneficiaries of democracy

Specifically, you claimed that as a younger brother to the then governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero, he was awarded juicy contracts thereby taking undue advantage of his relationship with Governor Aliero. In making such references your publication cast negative aspersions on Alhaji Abba Aliero, yet there was nothing to substantiate the allegations nor […]

Specifically, you claimed that as a younger brother to the then governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero, he was awarded juicy contracts thereby taking undue advantage of his relationship with Governor Aliero.

In making such references your publication cast negative aspersions on Alhaji Abba Aliero, yet there was nothing to substantiate the allegations nor did you make effort to contact Alhaji Abba Aliero for his comments. The report  was not attributed to your Kebbi State correspondent who could have been in a position to establish the facts before publication.

It is nevertheless worth emphasizing that Alhaji Abba Aliero did not get any contract while his brother was governor. He has been thoroughly investigated in the past due to similar unguarded allegations by political distracters who could not get anything to tarnish the image of Governor Aliero with. Although Alhaji Abba Aliero is entitled to seek and secure contracts in Kebbi State as an indigene and reputable businessman over several decades, he is a principled person who is content with his well established businesses.

You may wish to know that Alhaji Abba Aliero has been an influential political force to reckon with due to his philanthropy and concern for his community and people. He is still well-respected and influential. Alhaji Abba Aliero is therefore a promoter of popular democracy rather than a beneficiary with pecuniary interest as your story insinuated. He is definitely not in a position to “benefit” from democracy in the current dispensation in Kebbi State for obvious reasons, even though he greatly facilitated the sucess of the incumbent governor in the 2007 polls.

Please endeavour to reach out and contact him whenever you have similar publication in the pipeline to avoid such unfair and unjustified publication.

Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed is Personal Assistant to Alhaji Abba Aliero