There were conflicting claims, yesterday, over alleged revocations of the traditional title of Waziri Adamawa hitherto held by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar by the Adamawa State Government.
While the government cited a new policy requiring that all
titleholders and council members within emirate councils must be indigenes of
the respective chiefdoms, the Chief Press Secretary to the Adamawa State
Governor, Mr. Humwashi Wonosikou, last night, dismissed the reports as untrue.
In a circular dated June 20, 2025, and signed by the
Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Adama
Felicity Mamman, the directive stemmed from the recent restructuring of
traditional institutions following the creation of new chiefdoms in the state
by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
Traditionally, the Waziri Adamawa was regarded as the second
most senior figure in the Adamawa Emirate, after the Lamido of Adamawa.
According to the circular, only indigenes of the Yola South,
Yola North, Girei, Mayo-Belwa, Song, and Zumo districts would henceforth be
eligible to serve as kingmakers or council members in the Adamawa Emirate.
Unfortunately, this new policy automatically excluded Atiku,
who hailed from Jada Local Government Area, part of the Ganye Chiefdom, from
holding the title any longer.
Apart from Atiku, the development also affected other
traditional titleholders outside the new indigeneship requirements.
This, nonetheless, the government has maintained that the
move was in line with administrative reforms tied to the restructuring of
traditional institutions.
But when contacted, the Chief Press Secretary, Wonosikou,
denied the reports that Atiku was stripped of the title.
At the same time, political observers had linked the timing
to a rift said to be growing between Fintiri and Atiku.
The two leaders were members of the Peoples Democratic Party
during the 2023 elections, they were believed to be on opposing sides of
emerging political realignments now.
Lately, Atiku has been associated with talks involving
political figures like Nasir El-Rufai, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Aishatu
Binani, Fintiri’s arch rival during the last general election, ahead of the
2027 elections.
In addition to this emerging development, a new bill was
said to be currently before the Adamawa State House of Assembly.
The bill seeking to give the governor powers to depose
traditional rulers considered unfit to rule and to appoint successors directly,
has begun to raise more concerns.
Already, critics have warned that the proposal could
concentrate too much authority in the executive.
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