Sunday Trust reporterd today ‘Governor Shettima didn’t betray Sheriff’- Yunus Mairami ... The only thing Shettima didnt do was to prostrate before SAS and call him Allah ...He is so humble and tolerant that people mistake him for being weak. But believe me, whoever underrates him, does that at his peril ...They try so many tricks. But he is able to beat them in every respect. They can’t succeed over him Category: Sunday politics Published on Sunday, 16 November 2014 05:00 Written by Hamza Idris, Maiduguri Hits: 4 View Comments Yunus Mairami was a banker and the immediate past commissioner for finance in Borno State prior to the dissolution of the cabinet by Governor Kashim Shettima barely three months ago. Mairami, a former colleague of Shettima in the banking industry and one of the Governor’s top loyalists, in this interview with journalists, gave an insight into the current feud between former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff and the incumbent Governor Shettima. Excerpts: Governor Shettima dissolved his cabinet which you were part of nearly three months ago. Some people think it is aimed at weeding out loyalists of former Governor of the State, Ali Modu Sheriff. What’s your take on that? Answer: From the time the cabinet was formed in 2011 to the time it was dissolved in 2014, I know of a Governor that dissolved his cabinet three times apart from series of sacks in some cases and humiliation here and there. It is normal to inject fresh thoughts and fresh commitments to governance. There is this popular saying that sometimes a cow may not know the value of its tail until that tail is cut-off. In life, it is sometimes good for one to lose what is within his or her hand even if it’s temporary so that one can appreciate if what he had was good enough or not. Often, being humans, we tend not to appreciate what we have in our hands. We look at what others have. But when you lose something, in the event you regain it, you are likely to have regard or better regard for it. Secondly, I believe nobody is indispensable in life, not me or anyone. It is good for those of us holding public offices to be out and then notice government functioning without us in order to remind us that there are equally competent permanent secretaries and directors that can do what one was doing. For me, as a Muslim, it’s also good spiritually because it makes me remember that every opportunity in life is something we must, one day, miss. We can pray to Allah to give us back the opportunities or give us something better. But what is certain is that no particular opportunity in life is permanent. You must know as someone occupying public office that if you had no predecessor, you wouldn’t have been there. Q:What is the relationship between Governor Shettima and Senator Ali Sheriff? Answer:Governor Shettima has high personal regards for SAS, that is, His Excellency, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, like he has for all other former leaders and all citizens in Borno State. Q:Are you trying to cover up the political difference between Sheriff and Shettima in the midst of allegation that Shettima betrayed Sheriff after the latter helped him to become governor from the banking sector? Answer:This is the first time I am hearing this. To be frank, whoever says this is simply ignorant of issues that transpired. Such person is likely or deliberately being mischievous. I think the only thing Governor Shettima did not do was to prostrate before Sheriff and call him Allah. Otherwise, Shettima did everything beyond the ordinary to please him. I can’t say some of these on the pages of Newspapers. Governor Kashim served Sheriff diligently. He respects him. Governor Kashim will not disrespect Sheriff because it is not even in his character to disrespect or hurt anyone. I have worked with him for many years since our days in the bank. I should be among those who can speak about his characters. The fact is that Governor Kashim did everything humanly possible to be at peace with SAS. anyone who says something contrary will only be telling lies. For instance, in our tradition in Borno State, we sit on the ground before our elders. Governor Shettima never sat on the chair before SAS. As a sitting Governor, he sits on the ground in the presence of SAS. He switches off his phone or leaves his phone with his aides whenever he is moving with SAS. He finds it difficult to send his aides before SAS out of extreme respect. If SAS is coming to Maiduguri, Governor Shettima will either go to the airport to receive him or send his deputy to receive him while he escorts him back. He directs his commissioners and advisers to go to the airport to receive SAS. If both of them are going for any function, Governor Kashim will go to the residence of SAS whether in Maiduguri or Abuja and pick SAS in his official staff car. He leaves the back seat for SAS to sit in front or by the left of SAS if someone is in front. Throughout the function, Governor Kashim will allow SAS to feature in most conversation. And after the event, he will escort SAS home. He seats on the ground with his commissioners and advisers while SAS seat on the chair and hold court, all out of respect and not out of fear. Some people dislike the extent to which Governor Kashim is respecting SAS. But he never cares because of his humility, culture and the fact that he wants peace to reign. Governor Kashim does not appoint anybody without consulting SAS out of courtesy and respect. But suddenly, a top politician led some thugs to throw stones at the Governor’s convoy in his own territory of Maiduguri in January this year. This politician was said to have been endorsed by SAS to be the governorship candidate in 2015. In reaction, hundreds of youths around Shehuri stoned SAS when he visited Maiduguri around the same period in January to the extent that he had to flee out of the State. What will amaze you is that during the youths’ protest, they mobilized to set the mansion of SAS ablaze. But Governor Kashim quickly mobilized security to stop that. After that, it looked as if a battle line was to be drawn. But Governor Kashim didn’t want problems with SAS. He bowed down to efforts by Kashim Imam to reconcile the two sides. That reconciliation was more in favour of SAS because it was evident that the leaders of the APC were by far uncomfortable with him. Some of them probably wanted him expelled. But Governor Kashim made sure there were amicable power sharing among caretaker and elected executives at all levels from ward, local government to state. Don’t forget that there was a time when SAS came with the former National Vice chairman, Northeast, Umar Duhu and wanted to hijack the APC structure. The executives left Maiduguri. But inspite of that, when it was time for elections, Governor Kashim again accepted power sharing agreements with SAS. Nobody was allowed to be in the executives until SAS accepted him or her before the elections because of the need to give peace a chance. SAS brought some people into key positions at State’s APC level, took control of the central senatorial zone, where he and Governor Kashim hail from. But the Governor accepted most of his conditions because of the need to allow peace. Q:Why did they engage in power sharing agreements since all of them were in the APC as leaders? Answer:Believe me, if not that it is clear that some people are just out for mischief, Governor Kashim is never interested in controlling the party affairs. His concern is mainly good governance. But it is clear that some people want him humiliated. It is only a fool who will allow that to happen as a Governor. I think what actually happens is that some people underrate Governor Kashim because they don’t know him. But for those of us who have worked with him, we know him as a super achiever with strategies and patience that most people lack. He is so humble and tolerant that people mistake him for being weak. But believe me, whoever underrates him, does that at his peril. Governor Kashim has foresight- intelligence that is close to spiritual level. He can think well and predict the future and his analysis mostly comes to pass. When he has a target, he pursues his target with ease, extraordinary determination, persistence and tact. He never misses his targets because he is a team builder who brings out the best out of the very best. And he does that silently and with persuasion without any iota of arrogance. This is the reason why he has been able to get majority of APC stakeholders to rally round him. He doesn’t fight. But he wins fights. I know this man I am talking about. I can say it that those who think they will defeat him politically ahead of the 2015 elections are day dreaming and unrealistic insha Allah. They try so many tricks. But he is able to beat them in every respect. They can’t succeed over him. That is what Allah has blessed him with. We have worked with him. He is a goal-getter who relies on Allah. He builds formidable team around him in everything he wants to achieve. He has spent less than four years. But look at how he is changing Borno and the lives of our citizens despite all the security problems. Look at how he has built bridges within the APC, how he has become a national light that even highly respected senior Nigerian leaders like Major General Buhari are publicly acknowledging him as a leader for the future. Buhari said this after Governor Kashim addressed the APC northern leaders in Kaduna with so much wisdom and knowledge. The utterances that depict very high sense of patriotism and reasoning.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 05:18:18 +0000
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