Kaduna State Government has issued query letters to four out of the five kingmakers of the Zazzau emirate.
One of the letters with reference No MLG/CA/36/VOL. VI/1059 seen by our correspondent was signed on behalf of the Commissioner of Local Government Affairs of the state, Alhaji Jafaru Sani, by Musa Adamu, Permanent Secretary of the ministry.
The reason given for the query was the failure of the kingmakers to attend a meeting summoned by the ministry.
When contacted by Daily Trust, the commissioner, Alhaji Sani, confirmed that the queries were issued by his ministry.
Wazirin Zazzau
He, however, said the four people were queried in their capacity as council members of Zazzau Emirate not as kingmakers.
Those that were queried, according to findings, were Wazirin Zazzau, Alhaji Ibrahim Aminu; Makama Karami Zazzau, Alhaji Mahmud Abbas; Limamin Juma’a, Sheikh Dalhatu Qasimu; and Limamin Kona, Sheikh Sani Aliyu.
Daily Trust reliably gathered last night that Wazirin Zazzau, Alhaji Ibrahim Aminu, has been suspended by the state government after he replied the query issued to him.
When contacted, the Waziri cut off his line soon after our correspondent introduced himself.
However, an impeccable source close to the Waziri, who pleaded for anonymity, confirmed that the kingmaker received a suspension letter yesterday.
The disagreement
Our correspondent reports that the five kingmakers of the emirate reportedly disagreed with the state governor during the selection process of the new Emir of Zazzau after the death of the 18th ruler, Alhaji Shehu Idris.
The kingmakers reportedly recommended three contenders; Iyan Zazzau, Alhaji Bashar Aminu; Yariman Zazzau, Alhaji Munir Jafaru; and Turakin Zazzau, Alhaji Aminu Shehu Idris for the governor’s consideration.
It was gathered that even after the governor had allegedly jettisoned the first selection process, the kingmakers stood their ground during the second round to again present the three contenders they earlier recommended.
The governor, however, used his power to appoint the incumbent emir, Alhaji Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli.
The query and the subsequent suspension of the Waziri, according to palace sources, are therefore not “unconnected to the selection process of the new emir following the death of our revered father, His Highness, Alhaji Shehu Idris.”
Court order
Palace sources said the failure of the four kingmakers to attend the meeting summoned by the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs “was informed by the desire to obey a court order issued by Justice Kabir Dabo of the Kaduna State High Court, Dogarawa, Zaria in which the judge directed for the maintenance of the status quo in a suit filed by the Iyan Zazzau challenging the appointment of the new emir.”
In the same vein, the court case against the appointment of the new emir has been adjourned to December 11 from November 18, 2020.
Before the adjournment, counsel to the state governor, Attorney General of the state and the Secretary to the State government, Sanusi Ibrahim, requested for the case to be reassigned to another judge in Kaduna citing “security reports received from security agencies.”
Meanwhile, before Wednesday’s sitting, the office of Justice Dabo was burgled (Monday night) and some vital documents and personal belongings of the judge were carted away.
The registrar of the court, Jafaru Abbas, confirmed the incident, saying however that it was not the first security breach at the court.
