By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Senator representing Zamfara West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Hassan Lawal Dan’iya, has warned former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to stay away from the Zamfara State’s politics.
In a statement he personally signed on Monday, Dan’iya, who was reacting to the comments made by Saraki over the removal of the former deputy governor of the state, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, warned the former Kwara State Governor to mind his business and stop interfering with the political affairs of Zamfara State.
Saraki had said Aliyu was impeached without due proces, adding that the former deputy governor was impeached mainly because he refused to join the All Progressive Congress (APC) like the governor.
Saraki also noted that the former deputy governor’s impeachment was a subversion of his freedom of association.
But Dan’iya said Gusau was removed because of his gross abuse of office.
“Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, should clearly stay away from Zamfara politics, especially as regards his comments on the recent removal of the state’s deputy governor, Mahdi Ali Gusau, whose removal followed his gross abuse of office.
“Saraki, who is completely ignorant of happenings in Zamfara, should know that Zamfara is not Kwara, and, therefore, should not meddle in our affairs by feeding falsehood on many Nigerians on the removal of the state’s deputy governor by saying due process was not followed.
“As a former lawmaker, Bukola, who is now known for destroying the decades of the Saraki political dynasty, especially in Kwara State, and Nigeria in general, should have said what due process was missed in the process.
“Bukola should explain what was wrong from the charges to how the state House of Assembly impeccably handled the matter, to the investigation of the legal committee set up by the state Chief Judge, to the submission of the report and then the removal.
“Mr. Bukola is absolutely wrong and Zamfara will not accept anyone, within and outside, making any attempt to bring us on collision course, when we have already moved on positively,” Dan’iya said.
The Senator stressed that the PDP, who was not happy with the defection of Governor Bello Matawalle to the APC last year, went to court to seek his removal from office.
He maintained that the issues of freedom of association and the constitutional right of Matawalle to defect to any party of his choice were completely forgotten until now that Saraki was aspiring for the presidential ticket of the PDP.
Dan’iya added that Aliyu’s refusal to join his boss to defect to the APC was his personal choice, and not even an issue, adding that, ”while the Governor was moving to the APC, he never asked his deputy to do so.”
According to Dan’iya, when Matawalle defected to the APC, he assured his deputy that they would continue working together for the growth, development and progress of the state, even as members of different political parties.
“Therefore, Bukola should carry his meddlesomeness elsewhere, because he cannot change where fate has put us at the moment. As Muslims, this is our strongest belief,” the Senator concluded.
