With the provide of President Muhammadu Buhari from London, United Kingdom, where he spent 104 days receiving medical treatment, the cabal inwards the Presidency has 1 time to a greater extent than gained command of ability together with influence, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.
Penultimate Saturday, the President returned to the province to a warm reception yesteryear jubilant Nigerians, who thronged the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja together with the roads leading to Aso Villa. Thousands of Buhari’s well-wishers also took to the streets inwards other parts of the province to rejoice over his long-awaited return.
The Buhari presidency has been dogged yesteryear persistent rumours together with speculation that a grouping comprising some members of the President’s extended menage unit of measurement together with friends are the powers behind the throne. This grouping is said to bespeak hold the ear of the President, influence policy-making together with decide those who acquire major appointments.
Among those identified every bit beingness members of the cabal were: the President’s nephew, Mamman Daura; the manful individual raise to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (Muhammed Bello) Musa Bello; the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Samaila Isa Funtua together with a few others.
While Buhari was away, Osinbajo who stood for him every bit Acting President held sway together with won the admiration of many Nigerians together with foreigners for the life he injected into government. Although the Vice President was said to bespeak hold consulted the President inwards London earlier taking major decisions, he reportedly did non consult the members of the cabal whose influence ebbed considerably during the period.
A source who is about the president said, “While Buhari was away, they tried to ensure that Osinbajo was non inwards command of the government, yesteryear keeping away information from Osinbajo. Kyari’s main chore inwards the villa is to brand Osinbajo await bad.”
However, amongst the provide of the President, the cabal is said to last dorsum inwards power. Reliable sources who are privy to the goings-on inwards the corridors of ability described the President’s provide every bit ‘bittersweet’.
They claimed that amongst the President’s return, the cabal had taken over again.
“They look to bespeak hold a disproportionate influence on what he (Buhari) does, what he says, together with who he appoints. This cannot last inwards doubt; it is the fact of the matter,” 1 of the sources said.
Speaking amongst SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, a old fellow member of the House of Representatives inwards the Second Republic, physician Junaid Mohammed, confirmed the provide of the cabal.
He said, “Off the cuff, 1 must advert Mamman Daura because he’s the kingpin and, inwards actual fact, he wields to a greater extent than ability than the President. He knows; the President knows together with those of them who are inwards authorities also know. After him, yous bespeak hold to advert the manful individual raise to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Musa Bello.
“The boy was made a minister, fifty-fifty though he has e'er been a card-carrying fellow member of the Peoples Democratic Party. And, inwards fact, he was chairman of the National Hajj Commission for 4 years inwards a PDP administration. Then, when Buhari won, they made him a minister. Also, yous bespeak hold to advert the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, who is the pre-eminent lackey together with errand man child of the mafia. You also bespeak hold to include 1 graphic symbol called physician Mahmud Tukur, the younger blood brother of Bamanga Tukur.
“Essentially, yous tin say that betwixt the Buhari direction together with the Kaduna Mafia is a revolving door. Once yous come upwards from the Kaduna Mafia, yous occupy a rattling of import seat together with at that spot is no uncertainty almost that — the same revolving-door policy was operated when he (Buhari) was Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund.
“The names I mentioned are the prominent members of the Kaduna Mafia. Again, it is non a (definitive) listing because they continue coming inwards together with out. But 1 thing almost them is that they believe they bespeak hold a divine correct to dominate the North, together with if they dominate the North, (they believe) they bespeak hold a divine correct to dominate Nigeria.”
Speaking also, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, who also said he was a fellow member of the famed Kaduna Mafia, confirmed the existence of the cabal together with its undue influence on the President. He added that the most powerful fellow member of the grouping had e'er exerted a bully bargain of influence on Buhari correct from his days every bit a military machine caput of state.
According to him, Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, Buhari’s lieutenant during his fourth dimension every bit a military machine caput of state, often complained almost the concord that Daura had on Buhari.
“Since his days every bit the military machine caput of state, Buhari has been nether the influence of Daura. It was because of the funny ways Daura together with his people acted during Buhari’s regime that led IBB to overthrow him. You know what? Even Tunde Idiagbon complained almost Mamman Daura.
“Whenever nosotros went to Lagos inwards those days, nosotros spent some fourth dimension inwards his theatre together with discussed national issues. Idiagbon discussed amongst us most of the actions he was taking then. Idiagbon said people similar Daura were manipulating him (Buhari),” Abdulrahman disclosed.
Mohammed added that the cabal perfected a strategy that had helped them to sideline the vice president. “What they create is, they brand certain they second-guess Osinbajo, what he’s going to create together with hence they become ahead together with acquire Buhari to commit to a opposite sentiment or a opposite employment of action. They begin endeavor to run across what he is probable to do; they don’t become together with tell Buhari, ‘This is what Osinbajo is planning to do.’ They acquire Buhari to commit — sometimes, publicly — to a view, policy or thrust, which is opposite to what Osinbajo has been trying to choose upwards every bit a policy. They create that yesteryear frustrating him (the vice president) together with making certain that he doesn’t bespeak hold his way.”
However, the elderberry statesman did non spare the vice president, whom he said was attracting self-inflicted problems to himself.
“Osinbajo is a victim of his blunders because his advisers are tribal. It is a church building cabal. He doesn’t bespeak hold balanced opinions coming from all parts of the country. So, he ends upwards making some terrible blunders together with they (Buhari’s cabal) uncovering it slowly to checkmate him.”
Expressing his fears for Buhari’s administration’s capacity to succeed, the ACF chieftain said.
“With the cabal even hence inwards the Villa, at that spot is no means Buhari volition succeed every bit a president. It is non for cypher that Aisha (the First Lady) cried out. Do yous recollect when she spoke almost the hyenas together with the jackals? They are the ones controlling Buhari now. The President must muster courage together with drive away the cabal he has surrounded himself with. The cabal is a bunch of hustlers, fleecing the president together with his family. They are non human beings. They are non interested inwards Buhari’s success.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media together with Publicity, Garba Shehu, told SUNDAY PUNCH that he would non react to the claim, piece the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media together with Publicity, Laolu Akande, could non last reached every bit he did non reply to telephone calls together with messages.