The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has spoken on his directive to remove kingmakers and members of traditional councils who are not indigenes of the areas where they hold the positions.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the directive, issued through a circular dated 19 June and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs, Adama Felicity Mamman, stripped former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the traditional title of Wazirin Adamawa, which he has held since 2018.
Atiku was conferred the title by the Lamido of Adamawa in the Adamawa Emirate, whereas he is from Jada in the Ganye Emirate.
Reacting to the report on Wednesday in a telephone conversation with PREMIUM TIMES, Governor Fintiri said the policy was not targeted at Atiku or any title holder.
“The policy was not targeted at anyone, and no one has been removed from any office or title,” the governor said.
When asked how the policy specifically applied to Atiku, the governor said only the Lamido of Adamawa could determine the status of the title and how the new policy affects Atiku.
“Wazirin Adamawa is just a title, and no law makes the holder a kingmaker, a member of the Adamawa Emirate Council or the second in command to the Lamido,” he said.
“Whether it is right or correct for someone to be a kingmaker or council member where they are not an indigene is left for each chiefdom to determine in line with the Adamawa State laws and the policy just released. The chiefdoms must decide if they complied with the new policy.”
When PREMIUM TIMES spoke with another government official, he said the policy would not lead to the removal of Atiku if the Lamido determines that the title is honorary and does not connote membership of the traditional council.
“The policy did not say he cannot be the Waziri, it only says you cannot be a kingmaker or member of a traditional council where you are not an indigene,” the official, who declined to be named, said.
This newspaper also contacted an official of the Adamawa Emirate Council, who agreed to speak only off the record because the Lamido did not authorise them.
According to the official, the emirate’s convention allows an individual from outside the emirate who is related to it on the maternal side to take the title of Waziri.
“In the case of Atiku, it was former Governor Bindow (Mohammed Jibrilla) who allowed the Lamido to violate the emirate’s existing convention as Atiku is not related to the emirate by blood,” the official said.
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