World enews: EXCLUSIVE: Intense Lobbying As Africa’s Richest Man, Dangote’s Son-in-law, Senator, Commissioners Jostle For Zamfara Deputy Governor’s Seat

Top politicians in Zamfara State have started jostling for the position of the deputy governor of the state following a move by the state House of Assembly to impeach the current occupant, Mahadi Aliyu Gusau.

The assembly has already begun a process to impeach the deputy governor.

Eighteen members of the House had voted for the impeachment, following which the chief judge of the state inaugurated an Investigative panel to probe Gusau, in line with the procedure for impeachment.

The deputy governor has refused to join Governor Bello Matawalle to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), choosing to remain the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Aliyu Gusau, who is a son of a former Minister of Defence, Ali Gusau, argued that the Supreme Court awarded the electoral victory in 2019 to the PDP and not just its candidates.

One other federal lawmaker from the state, Kabira Yahaya, also declined to move to the APC with the governor.

Different sources told SaharaReporters that intensive lobby has been the order of the day among top politicians in the state, especially those from Gusau’s senatorial district.

The source added that most of the politicians are lobbying Governor Matawalle through the “kingmaker of the state”, Senator Yerima Sani.

“There are five people involved who are currently vying for the seat. As the kingmaker of the state, Senator Yerima Sani, three of the candidates have since approached him to lobby for the potentially vacant seat,” one of the sources told SaharaReporters.

“First, there is Hon. Sanusi Rikiji, the in-law of Dahiru Mangal. Former Governor Senator Sani Yerima is currently asked to lead his lobbying.

“Then there is the current Commissioner for Commerce, Mr Yazeed Fulani, who is also lobbying for the position. He is known to have a good connection with Senator Yerima and Mr Abba Sarki – the Personal Assistant on Domestic Affairs to President Buhari.

“The third person is competing for the position is the current Senator of Zamfara Central, Senator Hassaan Nasiha. Insiders see him as a wild card that can balance the equation. It is rumoured that Senator Yerima will accept him as the Deputy Governor while Hon. Rikiji replaces him as the Senator for Zamfara Central zone.

“The fourth contender is Mr Sufyan Bashir Yuguda, the current Commissioner for Finance. He is also the son of the former Nigerian Diplomat to UAE and former Minister of State Finance, Bashir Yuguda. It is alleged that Mr Yuguda has started distributing money to the Zamfara State Members of the House of Assembly as he begins to make a case for himself.

“The fifth contender is Mr Jamilu Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar. He is the son of former IG police MD Abubakar and the son-in-law to (Aliko) Dangote (Africa’s richest man). We are yet to understand whether Yerima is working on his own or with Governor Matawalle. But it is clear that all eyes are on the governor, but it seems lobbying goes through Senator Yerima.”