Gov Yero to wed IBB’s daughter, Halima? ~Blows N15m weekly on chartered plane to Minna ~Emir of Zazzau lambasted for turbaning him Dallatun Zazzau Our Roving Correspondent examines the growing concerns and criticisms Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero’s capitalist oriented style of leadership and many instances of outright corruption, waste and mismanagement of public funds in Kaduna state The disquiet in the Governor Ramalan Yero-led Kaduna state according to keen watchers has everything to do with bad governance and welfare of the people the embattled governor is leading. In most of the Face book postings which were monitored by DESERT HERALD weekly citizens described Yero’s short stewardship at the helm of affairs at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House as one characterized by “corruption with impunity, insensitivity, ineptitude in discharging official responsibilities and an administration that has no focus and vision for the state and its increasingly jobless citizens”. Yero’s decision without making adequate provision to sign the controversial law ban of operations of commercial motorcycle riders in Kaduna was hugely criticized, since the ban was officially announced. The case of Kaduna is completely different from that of other states like Borno and Kano which also ban commercial Okada riders. The states before approving the ban despite their delicate security situation compared to that of Kaduna have made enough provision by purchasing the now popular three circlets in excess and distribute them as loans to the hitherto Okada operators to caution the effect of joblessness that will inevitably consume the society. In Kaduna according to inside sources the contract for the supply of the three circlets which was lately considered due to public pressure has not only been politicize to favour sympathizers and supporters of the ruling PDP and their equivalent in government but has become another conduit pipe to over inflate and allegedly to supply inferior China product not the ones manufactured in India. The first demonstration aimed at expressing disappointment and resisting Mr. Yero’s untimely and unplanned Okada ban started in his home town of Zaria where majority of the youths including graduates rely on Okada operation as a means of survival. Despite the fact that Zaria was ‘lucky’ to produce the Vice President and Governor, its infrastructures including roads, hospitals, schools etc have dilapidated more than ever before. The only time Zaria was attended to by way of rehabilitating hospitals, roads and schools was during the regime of the Makarfi born ex-Governor, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi. The Okada operators during the peaceful demonstration to protest against Mr. Yero’s ban repeated said their economic condition is far better during the regime of Senator Ahmed Makarfi and said for them having the Vice President and the Governor as indigenes of Zaria has turnout to be a curse on them instead of blessing that will change the fortunes of the historic city. While this crisis of credibility and confidence was going against Mr. Yero and his allegedly corrupt cabinet through newspaper reports and the social media particularly on facebook, his confirmation and coronation as the Dallatun Zazzau by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idriss and the alleged expenditure of nearly N2 billion for the wasteful ceremony has triggered even more debate and criticism from the citizens of Kaduna online. They accused the flambouyant governor of wasting public resources on an unnecessary turbaning ceremony at a time his policy has created unemployment to poor citizens that managed to employed themselves through the business of Okada. They lamented online that even if Mr. Yero’s expenditure for the turbaning ceremony which includes accommodation for visitors, printing of paper bags, billboards etc and even provision of clothes to women through his wife is only N100 million, “it is insensitive for a governor that preaches justice, prudence in the management of public resources to waste even a kobo of government in an occasion that is purely private and of no use to the citizens of the state”. They also lambasted the Emir of Zazzau of promoting and encouraging the rape of public resources and wondered why the Emir did not consider Mr. Yero for the traditional title when he was deputy governor, commissioner or as a private person before coming to the government. A credible insider in Zazzau Emirate also confided in DESERT HERALD weekly that HRH Alhaji Shehu Idriss is also a beneficiary of the nearly N2 billion government resources that was allegedly ‘spent’ for the jamboree at the palace to turban Mr. Yero as the Dallatun Zazzau. The same source who also happens to be a traditional title holder of the Zazzau Emirate and pleaded to remain anonymous also told DESERT HERALD weekly that the Emir who he said is in the habit of giving funny traditional titles to people in position of authority and influence is planning to give Vice President Namadi Sambo the Sardauna of Zazzau. Another source also confided that the VP Sambo is indeed lobbying for the title and that he may be confirm soon. It would be recall that the Emir of Zazzau had once gave traditional title to the wife of the then Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Hajia Titi Atiku. Another issue that will certainly dominate the 2015 campaign is the alleged romance between Mr. Yero and former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s daughter, Halima and the weekly use of a chattered plane to Minna. It was reported recently (not by DESERT HERALD) that Mr. Yero is getting set to add a second wife and that the daughter of the gap toothed retired general and former president, Halima will be the bride groom. While the romour of chattering a plane to visit Halima every week in Minna ostensibly with government resources has spread like wild fire and is being lamented across the state inside sources said the Kaduna First Lady is not taking the matter softly. It would be recalled that the then Governor Namadi Sambo was reported to have proposed to marry the daughter of the then President Umaru Yar’Adua. Inside sources said his wife, Hajia Amina had to fought with her life to break the alleged relationship because of its possible implication to the family. And when the then Governor Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi of Zamfara State married Halima’s senior sister his two wives which include the then First Lady of Zamfara State were almost reduced to nobody while the new wife virtually becomes more relevant and the defacto First Lady of the state. Sources within the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna confided in DESERT HERALD weekly that it is this fear of uncertainty that allegedly makes Mr. Yero’s wife very serious and uncomfortable with the romour. While DESERT HERALD weekly did not independently verify the alleged romance between Mr. Yero and IBB’s daughter, Halima and the planned marriage, an insider however confirmed to this paper that of “Governor Yero is indeed frequenting Minna with a chartered plane”. For whatever reason if he is indeed preaching what he is saying there is no justification whatsoever to waste government resources. The governor is said to be spending almost N15 million every week to and from Minna on a chartered plane, leave much to desired. Many said the Commissioner of Finance knows about all the scandals. They said he makes such payment directly. If this is true even if it is not up to N15 million it is insensitive and a betrayal of the trust entrusted on him and Allah will surely punish him”, the source lamented. All attempts to balance the report from the governor’s spokesperson, Ahmed Maiyaki on the controversial weekly charter of plane to Minna by DESERT HERALD weekly were not successful as several calls placed on his mobile phone were not answered.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 08:25:47 +0000
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