Among the ranks of senators vying for the Senate Presidency in the 10th National Assembly, former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari has reliably been fingered to be deploying parts of fraud proceeds hanging on his neck to win the coveted seat.
The former Governor got enmeshed in serious graft allegations levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after his administration from 2011 to 2019.
Former Governor Yari was said to have got involved in the embezzlement of public funds of a whopping sum of one hundred and sixty-two billion Naira (₦162b).
After his entanglement with the anti-graft agency over the fraud allegations, the Senator was said to have coughed out one hundred and forty-eight billion Naira (₦148b) of the stolen funds.
This leaves the aspiring senate president with fourteen billion Naira (₦14b) that has not yet been recovered from by the EFCC.
Meanwhile, reliable sources have revealed that, Yari, in his usual subterfuge, is presently deploying all his financial muscles to buy the position of the Senate President in the 10th National Assembly. Of great concern is the fact that proceeds from his past financial crime are being used to lobby his colleagues in the Upper Chamber for their votes.
This may not be desirable for a new leadership regime that heralded a renewed hope for Nigerians in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.
So far, Yari was said to have shared over one hundred and twenty billion Naira (₦120b) among his colleagues in the Senate.
This is all in a desperate move to assume the position of the Senate President. Of truth is that such an individual will make all efforts to recoup his spent funds, expectedly in a fraudulent way, if eventually elected to occupy the seat.
Aside dipping his fingers into public funds for personal use, Yari’s name has been mentioned to be involved in the unpatriotic act of illegal mining in Zamfara State.
In connivance with some expatriates, the former Governor was said to have been part of the syndicate involved in the illegal mining of gold deposits in the State.
At this critical time of our polity, the country needs individuals with unblemished track records to occupy sensitive leadership positions across board, one of which is the seat of the Senate President.
It is hoped that both the long-term serving senators and the new entrants will be loyal and patriotic in electing the next Senate leaders and avoid being swayed by the ill-gotten money being dangled in their faces by the former Zamfara State Governor.
Isah Ahmed: A Concerned Citizen of Nigeria Wrote From Abuja.
