Re: Why Yar’adua’s loyalists in Kebbi fight Dakingari

In the interview, Mr Ka’oje spoke on, among other things, Governor Sa’idu Dakingari, one of his three wives, Zainab, the late Yar’adua’s daughter, why Senator Aliero should support Dakingari’s second term for the sake of Zainab, Dakingari’s performance in Kebbi State and his understanding of the strength of the PDP and CPC in the state. […]

In the interview, Mr Ka’oje spoke on, among other things, Governor Sa’idu Dakingari, one of his three wives, Zainab, the late Yar’adua’s daughter, why Senator Aliero should support Dakingari’s second term for the sake of Zainab, Dakingari’s performance in Kebbi State and his understanding of the strength of the PDP and CPC in the state.

It is pertinent to, at this point, remind those who have forgotten for whatever reasons, that the relationship between the late President Yar’adua and Senator Adamu Aliero transcends friendship and can best be described as brotherhood. They had worked together harmoniously in the best interest of their states as governors and at the Federal Executive Council.

It should not be forgotten so soon that it was the intimacy of their relationship that made the late President Yar’adua as PDP Presidential candidate in 2007 to request Adamu Aliero as ANPP governor in Kebbi State to join the PDP. The request was necessitated by the need to brighten the chances of the PDP and make the presidential candidate more comfortable in his zone, the North-West zone, where the party has only two states out of the seven states in the zone.

The request coincided with the emergence of a serious leadership crisis in the national leadership of the ANPP, the situation that made Adamu Aliero accept the late Yar’adua’s request and moved to the PDP together with his political associates in Sokoto and Kebbi States. Adamu Aliero who was then called all sorts of names for supporting Yar’adua, delivered both Sokoto and Kebbi States to the PDP which gave Yar’adua comfortable majority of the states in the zone.

When the late President Yar’adua was sick and flown to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment and attempts were made by different political forces to unseat him for being incapacitated, Adamu Aliero led a group of few ministers who strongly and fearlessly stood behind him and kicked against the various attempts. At the end, Aliero, who was again called all sorts of names, including leader of a cabal, eventually lost his ministerial appointment. Therefore, Aliero remained one of the the who selflessly served late President Yar’adua and maintained a cordial relationship with his family as he is presently committed to the realization of Hajia Turai Yar’adua’s dream of establishing a world class cancer centre in Nigeria.

It should be remembered that it was at the crucial period in the life of Yar’adua’s family when they needed more of Alieros for support that their so-called son-in-law, Governor Sa’iduu Dakingari attended five different meetings of the Governor’s Forum and selected PDP leaders and signed the various recommendations for removing late President Yar’adua from office as a result of incapacitation. So where was Mr Ka’oje when Aliero made many sacrifices for the sake of Yar’adua while Dakingari shamelessly conspired with other people to disgrace Yar’adua’s family?

Mr Ka’oje’s argument that Governor Sa’idu Dakingari’s second term bid should be supported by the late Yar’adua’s loyalists in Kebbi State for the sake of Zainab and not based on any meaningful development Governor Dakingari achieved, is an insult on the sensitivity of the people of Kebbi State. The welfare of the people and the much-needed development in Kebbi State must not be sacrificed for the sake of Zainab and her bootlickers’ blindfolded desire for power.

Unless Zainab’s only reason for marrying Dakingari is to be a first lady, she should be kept out of Kebbi politics and remain a true housewife. It is equally time for political opportunists to stop using the name of late President Yar’adua to achieve their selfish political interest. The late President Yar’adua’s soul must be allowed to rest in perfect peace.

Those familiar with the political developments in Kebbi State will undoubtedly accept the fact that Governor Dakingari is the architect of his problems. He destroyed the PDP in Kebbi State, shortchanged the people of the State by refusing to utilize their federal allocation to provide basic social amenities and essential services which resulted to the wide spread poverty and preventable diseases among the citizens of the state.

It is a fact that Alhaji Barau Mangal, Alhaji Abubakar Malam and Senator Adamu Aliero have been good friends for over twenty years. They were in the PDP together before Abubakar Malam and Adamu Aliero decamped to the CPC but that did not and will not affect their cordial relationship. However, Mr Ka’oje’s allegation that Mangal financed Abubakar Malam’s governorship campaign with N1billion is a figment of his imagination.

Zuru is of Kebbi State CPC Secretariat, No. 8, Emir Haruna Road, Birnin Kebbi