Zamfara state Deputy Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala has said the Governor of the state, Abdul’Aziz Yari, has sidelined him.
Speaking to newsmen in Gusau, the Deputy Governor said the Governor has denied him his rights and privileges.
“For months now,several of the legal fundings that are supposed to be made to my office have been stopped and I have been completely sidelined by the state government.
” This attitude against me started since I indicated interest to run for the governorship of the state on the platform of our party, the All Progressives Congress. I know that nothing stops me as a citizen from contesting for any elective position, so I want those concerned and responsible for the interpretation and implementation of the constitutional provisions that accorded me rights and privileges to explain to me why I am being treated this way.
“If my crime is my declaration, then what about my supporting staff made up of casual staff, feeding of security personnel, fueling and services of vehicles attached to my office, what have they done to have their allowances stopped, “he said.
The deputy governor also said that it had still not been officially communicated to him that the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, would be serving as acting governor of the state.
“I knew this on the pages of newspapers, the social media and when the state Commissioner of Information told a journalist that I am treated this way because I belong to the G8 group.
“My concern at the moment, however, is to see that Zamfara is free from all these security challenges where the killings, kidnappings and animal rustling have taken charge.”
The Zamfara state APC is currently divided into two factions. One has the Governor and his supporters and the other has the G8 made up of eight members which includes the deputy Governor.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC in the state is fictionalized between the governor and his supporters and the G8 made up of eight persons including the deputy governor.(NAN)