The presidency has said that the call by President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Mr. Mamman Daura for zero zoning was a personal opinion which reflected neither that of the president nor his administration.
Recall that Daura, had in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service last week advocated that for the 2023 presidency competence, rather than zoning, should be prioritised.
His position on the matter ignited scathing reactions from the leader of the Niger Delta socio-cultural group, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark who described Daura’s comment as “irresponsible”
“To jettison zoning is looking for chaotic situation in this country and there will be no one Nigeria, united Nigeria because no one will be a slave to the others,” he said.
Similarly, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere said Daura’s perspective on the matter exposed the north’s deceit and selfish agenda.
For its part, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo warned that equity should not be sacrificed on the altar of parochialism since it was the rotation sentiment that produced Buhari.
The group said it was the turn of the south, particularly Ndigbo, to produce the president in 2023.
Reacting to the barrage of criticisms that has trailed Daura’s stand the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu said in a statement (Read details below) yesterday that the views expressed by Daura were personal to him.
In the statement entitled ‘Mallam Mamman’s views are his own, and he has said so – Presidency’ Shehu contended that at 80 Daura does not need the permission or clearance of anyone to exercise this right.
“It is important that we state from the onset that as mentioned by the interviewee, the views expressed were personal to him and did not, in any way, reflect that of either the President or his administration,” he said.
However, Shehu said the “English translation clearly did no justice to the interview, which was granted in Hausa, and as a result, the context was mixed up and new meanings were introduced and/or not properly articulated.”
The full statement
Mallam Mamman’s views are his own, and he has said so – presidency
We have received numerous requests for comments on the interview granted by Mallam Mamman Daura, President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew to the BBC Hausa Service.
It is important that we state from the onset that as mentioned by the interviewee, the views expressed were personal to him and did not, in any way, reflect that of either the President or his administration.
At age 80, and having served as editor and managing director of one of this country’s most influential newspapers, the New Nigerian, certainly, Mallam Mamman qualifies as an elder statesman with a national duty to hold perspectives and disseminate them as guaranteed under our constitution and laws of the land. He does not need the permission or clearance of anyone to exercise this right.
In an attempt to circulate the content of the interview to a wider audience, the English translation clearly did no justice to the interview, which was granted in Hausa, and as a result, the context was mixed up and new meanings were introduced and/or not properly articulated.
The issues discussed during the interview, centred around themes on how the country could birth an appropriate process of political dialogue, leading to an evaluation, assessment and a democratic outcome that would serve the best interest of the average Nigerian irrespective of where they come from.
These issues remain at the heart of our evolving and young democracy, and as a veteran journalist, scholar and statesman, Mallam Mamman has seen enough to add his voice to those of many other participants.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
