By Comfort Olayinka
As reactions continue to trail the appointment of Senator Abdulaziz Yari as the new Chairman of the Board, Geregu Power Plc; a northern group has dropped a bombshell while lending its voice to the public debate.
The group, ‘Mai Kare Talakawa’ (MKT), majorly based in Sokoto, north western state, said it would rather stand for the interest of the people, especially the downtrodden, instead of joining the bandwagon of praise singers of those who unite to enrich themselves.
In a statement signed on Friday by the Spokesperson, Mallam Yusuf Mohammed, the group queried the way and manner Senator Yari became stupendously rich, amassing enormous wealth for himself, since presiding over the common wealth of Zamfara, a leading poorest state in north west.
According to the group, Senator Yari, aside been a Commissioner, two term Governor and currently, a Senator from Zamfara State, has no known strong business base, apart from the MA’AM Energy and the mining activities he has severally being linked to; saying, “such undue accumulation of wealth at the expense of the masses contradicts Islamic teachings, and any genuine Muslim must stand to uphold this tenent”.
“For just being a public officer from a poor state like Zamfara State, he was able to amass so much wealth for that kind of acquisition. But left our youth with no jobs for 8 years as Governor, thereby exposing the citizens of Zamfara State to poverty and youth restlessness which is the insecurity in Zamfara State today”, the group said.
Aside the issue of conflict of interest in oversight functions as a serving Senator, Mohammed described the acquisition of controlling shares in Geregu as “outlandish”, adding that, “Senator Yari using over one trillion naira (N1tr) to buy Geregu Power shares has no direct benefit for the common people on the street of Zamfara, but will further impoverish the people and aggravate insecurity, due to ongoing activities of illegal miners”.
“When we thought his ongoing trials at the EFCC, ICPC and DSS would help the people recover the funds and assets linked to him as Governor, and help stop the activities of illegal miners, which many reports said largely gave rise to banditry; we read in the news again that, the man who should be refunding some funds and forfeiting assets, for onward recovery and injection into Zamfara State purse, was buying a power plant with over one trillion naira. This is ridiculous, outlandish and preposterous.
“Zamfara State is rated as the 3rd poorest state in Nigeria. A report in 2024 listed Zamfara with 82.70% multidimensional poverty, making it the third most multidimensionally poor state after Sokoto and Jigawa. This was a man who was just a Commissioner and then became a Governor, but now suddenly richer than the State, while the people languish in poverty and struggle with high rate insecurity. Why will Allah be happy with such a soul?
“Every mankind has a date with Allah and His judgement is more truthful than human judgement. Allah’s verdicts supercedes court of law, or law enforcement agencies, the prayers of Zamfara people and the neighboring states which equally suffer same fate with Zamfara shall be heard by the Almighty Allah”, the statement added.
The group further advised Senator Yari and other Northern elites, to carefully listen to the interview of the popular Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi on TRUST TV few days ago, where he condemned those offering big money to footballers and spending lavishly on unnecessary things, whereas, the number of Almajiris and out of school children keep on increasing, thereby giving rise to insecurity in the north.
It would be recalled that, Geregu Power Plc, located in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, appointed Senator Yari as chairman of its board of directors, following the resignation of the business billionaire, Femi Otedola, penultimate Monday, as announced on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
The acquisition has since elicited public criticism, owing to the status of the new Chairman of board and controversies surrounding his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State and his constant dates with Nigeria security and law enforcement agencies, relating to “corruption”, “illegal mining business” and “insecurity” in the state.
