₦airaland Forum

A state governor in Nigeria has been described as the most useless in the country.

Kadaria Ahmed, a veteran journalist from Zamfara State has described her state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, as the ‘most useless.’

Ms. Ahmed gave the description while taking part in a protest in Abuja on Saturday, asking State and Federal authorities to stop the rise in incessant killings recently witnessed in her state.

“As far as I am concerned, that Governor is the most useless governor in the history of Nigeria,” the journalist, who moderated the 2019 town hall meetings for presidential candidates, said when accosted by reporters.

Ahmed said Mr Yari who has been elected a senator under the All Progressive Congress (APC) was running the affairs of the state from the nation’s capital, Abuja.

The senator-elect, prior to this year’s general election had lamented over the spike in the killings going on in the State. He had pledged to step aside if that was the only solution to halt the act. Yari is yet to do so.

“Quote me, he is the most useless governor in the history of Nigeria. This is a governor whose reaction to the killings in his state was to resign as the Chief Security Officer. He went on the record to say that he cannot be the Chief Security Officer. So, I don’t know what he is still doing in office; he doesn’t care,” she continued.

“He only cares about the people of Zamfara when it comes to politics. The fact that they are getting killed does not concern him. He lives most of his time here in Abuja. How can you govern a state for eight years from Abuja? What sort of leadership is that? We are so happy he is on his way out,” she added.

While describing the outgoing governor as a hopeless leader who has not done well for the people of the state, the veteran journalist called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act in curtailing the situation.

Buhari Should Be Blamed – Lawyer

Reacting, Inibehe Effiong, a legal practitioner said the situation in the state is caused by religious and tribal politics played by Nigerians wherein those elected are not held accountable.

Mr Effiong wondered what Mr Buhari would be described as if a governor can be described as a ‘most useless.’

“I wonder how Buhari, who is the C-in-C, will be described. It is now very convenient to blame the governor over the killings in Zamfara State,” the lawyer said on Sunday.

“The President is defended, excused or begged to intervene by those who have been blinded by ethnic, religious or political sentiments.

“Goodluck Jonathan was blamed for the killings in Borno State. Have we forgotten the ferocious attacks on Jonathan’s government by the Borno Elders Forum? Why have we not heard a word from the Zamfara Elders Forum? How about the Arewa Consultative Forum? Are they not bothered?” Effiong queried.

Mr Jonathan who sought re-election during the 2015 general elections lost to Buhari largely due to insecurity occasioned by attacks from Boko Haram terrorists.

For the lawyer, the president should be blamed for the killings going on in the state since.

“So what changed? Where is the outrage against President Buhari? Why are we putting the blame on the governor over the killings in Zamfara State instead of President Buhari?” Effiong asked.

Simple truth, you can't reap where you did not sow.

Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) says the South East region marginalised itself during the 2019 general election.

Mr Lawal, an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, who sacked over his role in a grass-cutting scandal, also advised the geo-political zone to quit blaming others for their decision.

Nigerians during this year’s election, choosed their leaders mainly from the two major political parties in the country, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While President Muhammadu Buhari on the platform of the APC, sought a second term in office, Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the PDP was his major challenger. The President defeated the former vice president with over 4 million votes.

The recent marginalisation claim by indigenes from the Igbo predominantly area resurfaced when the APC made known its preferred candidates for leadership of the incoming 9th National Assembly expected to kick-off in June.

Weighing in on the issue, the former SGF noted that in politics those who reap are those who sowed even though it's a risky venture. He said the people should blame themselves for their fate.

“They (South East) go their own way which they are entitled to doing and then they come round and say marginalization in an election in which they marginalised themselves,” Lawal said in an interview with TheSun.

“They marginalised themselves in this election. They went for PDP which lost.

“Nobody forced them to vote PDP. But they lost. So, that is politics. Politics is a game of risk. You lose, you sit down and watch through the window when people are chopping on the dining table. So, they shouldn’t blame anybody on marginalization,” he added.

Before the presidential election, allies of Mr Buhari urged the South East region to ensure they re-elect their principal by casting their votes for the president. The people played deaf ears and queued behind Mr Abubakar who had choosed their son as his Vice President. The PDP candidate has gone to the election tribunal, praying he be declared winner of the February 23 exercise.

Walter Onnoghen, immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) has stated why he resigned from his position.

Mr Onnoghen stepped down on Thursday evening, months after resisting. He was alleged to have failed to declare some assets traced to him.

However, this did not happen until a recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to President Muhammadu Buhari suggesting his compulsorily retirement for the alleged misconduct.

Stating why he bowed out, his lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, (SAN), said the top jurist decided to quit because of the judiciary.

“I have just spoken with him. He confirmed to me that he resigned yesterday. He said he resigned in the interest of the judiciary,” Mr Awomolo was quoted by Sun Newspaper as saying.

POLITICS TIMES gathered that the action of Onnoghen, who is expected to retire by 2020, might also be viewed as a step not to miss the entitlements due to him as a public servant if he was dismissed, even though the president will need a two-third majority of lawmakers at the upper legislative chamber to oust him, a task Buhari might not achieve with the present 8th Senate.

The high ranking jurist is entitled to a N2.5 billion cash, a house for him in Abuja, N100 million for furnishing, a number of domestic staff and sundry allowances for personal upkeep — in addition to a severance gratuity that is 300% of his annual basic salary of N3,363,972.50, as well as pension for life.

Onnoghen is facing a six count charge of non-declaration of assets slammed on him by the federal government led by Buhari.

He recently closed his defense at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) with judgement expected to be delivered on April 15.