Adamawa Assembly: How Atiku Abubakar Failed To Install His Choice As Speaker, Deputy

By Tom Garba,Yola – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s bid to be in control of his Adamawa home State House of Assembly, has failed as his choice, for the position of the Speakership, Hon. Mallam Rufai Umar, representing Gombi, lost to another candidate, Rt. Hon Kabiru Mijinyawa from Yola South Constituency of the North Eastern State.

It was reliably gathered that the former country’s number two citizen’s candidate lost woefully, in spite of huge financial inducement from his sponsor (Atiku) of the 25 member State’s legislative House.

Our Correspondent confirmed that Hon.Umar, relying on the naira rain of his financier was full of confidence and very hopeful of victory, but in the end, was defeated, as he only secured only eight votes as against the winner, Mijinyawa, who polled a total of 17 votes.

Sources revealed that unknowingly to Atiku, most of the legislators despite collecting and sharing his (Atiku’s) largesse, had made up their minds against his candidate, as they had concluded that it would be too dangerous to allow the former VP to be in control of the State’s legislative Assembly as well as its members.

Atiku’s renewed persistent drive to be in control of Adamawa’s politics was dated back to late last year, when he bankrolled another political son, Alhaji. Ibrahim Mijinyawa Yayaji for Gubernatorial slot, but later lost to the incumbent Governor Mohammed Jibrilla Bindo.

What actually paved way for his current failed drives, was the sack last year’s July, by the immediate past State’s Assembly of former Governor Muritala Nyako, a development that ushered in former Speaker, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, to be sworn in as the acting State’s .Governor and later Nyako’s former Deputy, James Bala Ngilari as the State’s Chief Executive.

Our Correspondent findings confirmed that Atiku, despite his larger than life image, could hardly win election in a local government of the State, as the general perception is that the surprise his political weight could spring is restricted to only Abuja and Lagos.

Sources confirmed to our correspondent that former Governor Nyako had perceived imminent disgrace to former VP, thus on account of this, jetted out of the State to Abuja leaving the APC hardliners (Lawmakers) behind, to ensure Atiku’s humiliation.

Nyako had reportedly told them “My children at the Assembly, I wish all of them well and I congratulate all of them for the resounding defeat of the People’s Democratic Party PDP and they should freely select a Speaker and Deputy speaker of their choice among them, I will continue to offer fatherly advice to them, but they should be wary of those who will bring money, because that money is Greek gift”.

It was said that the Speaker Rt. Hon. Kabiru merits the exalted position, being a young man with penchant for helping others. His colleagues were said to be impressed by his pedigree, since 1999 when he was elected Councillor in Yola South, after which he emerged the leader of the Yola South legislature.

Similarly, his Deputy, Hon. Sunday Peter representing the Guyuk State’s constituency was once a Special Assistant to the Secretary to the state Government (SSG) during Nyako’s tenure.

One of the legislators, Barrister Sani Mohammed who represents Mubi told our correspomdent that the problems confronting his domain was insurgency and he was determined to work closely with all relevant agencies to bring the scourge to an end.

On his own part, Hon. Sani Mohammed called on the Federal Government to rebuild all the bridges destroyed by Boko Haram during their invasion of Mubi North just as he pledged to sponsor a bill, aimed at rescuing of victims of insurgency.

In the meantime, indicators have emerged that the State Governor had vowed not to be subservient to either Atiku and Nyako as well as declared that none of them could confidently claim controls the of the State’s House of Assembly.

Governor Jibrila on many occasion, has been heard, asserting that he did not have any political Godfather and neither Nyako nor Atiku were his political mentors.