Abdulaziz Yari
Zamfara governor dumps PDP for APC
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Matawalle announced his defection to APC in Gusau on Tuesday at a special grand rally to receive him to the party, organised by the National Caretaker Committee of the APC led by Governor Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe. “As from today, I Bello Matawallen Maradun, governor of Zamfara, I am happy to announce my defection from the PDP to the APC. “As from today, I am a full APC member and leader of APC in Zamfara. “I am calling on all APC stakeholders in the state to join hands with me to build the party and move the state forward,” Matawalle said. Earlier, Buni had described Matawalle’s defection as a welcome development to the APC not only in Zamfara but in Nige...
Senator Marafa moves to end Zamfara APC crisis
The APC crisis in Zamfara state might have been over as the Senator Kabiru Marafa faction meet in Kaduna to finalize moves of reconciling with the Abdulaziz Yari faction. This development followed the meeting convened by the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, where virtually all the APC stakeholders in Zamfara attended. Senator Kabiru Marafa, who addressed hundreds of his supporters on Saturday in Kaduna, said their resolve to reconcile was in the general interest of Zamfara state. He said “we are meeting with critical stakeholders of our faction (APC Mai Jama’a, which literally means APC of the grassroot) today in Kaduna.” “You will recall that the chairman of the caretaker committee of our party, His Excellency, Governor...
Court orders final forfeiture of ex-Zamfara governor’s money in Zenith, Polaris banks
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the final forfeiture of former Governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari’s funds domiciled in Zenith and Polaris Banks. While 56, 056.75 dollars was lodged in Polaris Bank account, the sums of N12.9 million, N11.2 million, 301, 319.99 dollars; N217, 388.04 and 311, 872.15 dollars were kept in different Zenith Bank accounts in the name of Yari and his companies. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a judgment, held that the former governor had not shown good cause why the order sought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should not be granted. Yari served as governor of Zamfara between May 2011 and May 2019. The ICPC had instituted a suit, praying the court for the former governor to show cause why the money unde...
Former Zamfara deputy governor dumps APC for PDP
Mr Ibrahim Wakkala, immediate past Deputy Gov. of Zamfara, has announced his decision to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) and join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Wakkala made his decision known at a news briefing on Wednesday in Gusau. “There were several speculations making the rounds for about two years now over where I politically belong; hence I feel this is the right time to put the records straight. “I want to inform you that all this while, whether as a member of G8 group or not, I have remained a full card-carrying member of the APC. “Even though since the time of our crisis in 2019, the party did not consider us relevant as demonstrated, by not inviting or informing us of any of its activities. “I want to formally inform the general public that I have finally thrown t...
Former Zamfara governor’s ally arrested over ‘secret meeting’ with bandits
Operatives of the Zamfara State Police Command have arrested Abu Dan-Tabawa, an ally of former Governor of the state, Abdulaziz Yari, after allegedly holding a secret meeting with bandits in Gusau, the state capital. The development was confirmed by the spokesman of the Zamfara State Police Command, Mohammed Shehu, in a statement on Sunday. Shehu said Dan-Tabawa was arrested along with 17 other suspects. He said: “The arrest was an intelligent driven and proactive action by the state police command to prevent a possible breach of public peace and ensure that the state continues to enjoy the relative peace that is been enjoying in the recent time. “The arrest was carried out in the overall interest of public peace, public security and public safety. “The Command wishes to warn all citizens ...
Nigerian government threatens sanctions over violation of airport coronavirus protocols
The Federal Government is probing reported violations of COVID-19 safety protocols by some high profile Nigerians accessing some of the newly-reopened airports in the country. The probe, government said, involving Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Fintiri and the former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, is with a view to sanctioning violators if it is established that they indeed violated the rules, or apologise to them should the result of the investigations exonerate them. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, PTF, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, who did not mention the names of alleged violators of safety protocols, urged them to desist from flouting the guidelines. He said: “You will all recall that the aviation sector reo...
Abdulaziz Yari: I never assaulted airport official
The immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, has denied reports that he assaulted an airport official last Saturday at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano. This was even as Yari demanded that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), retract its offensive tweets regarding the incidence and tender an apology for the falsehood peddled against him. Yari in a statement by his media consultant, Mayowa Oluwabiyi, said although he did use the airport on the said date, but such incidence never occurred. Recall that FAAN had on Wednesday in a series of tweets, condemned Yari’s action for violating COVID-19 directive at the airport. FAAN further alleged that Yari refused to adhere to the protocols and procedures put in place by the Federal Government th...
