Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
For so long, former Nigeria’s Vice President Atiku Abubakar has proudly paraded himself as the Waziri Adamawa.
The Waziri title was second highest in Adamawa state and was obviously conferred on Atiku based on his social and political standing in the state and in the country.
However, the title will no longer be available to be flaunted by Atiku, the Adamawa state Government indicated in an official circular issued on June 20.
The circular, which became public on Tuesday was signed by Mrs Adama Felicity Mamman, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs, under the Adamawa state’s Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The loss of the title by Atiku, according to the circular, was due to a new policy requiring all traditional council members to be indigenes of the chiefdoms in which they serve.
With the creation of new chiefdoms by Governor Umar Fintiri, Atiku is no longer qualified to hold the title, the circular indicated.
“Following the creation of new Chiefdoms in the state by the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, I am directed to Inform you that all Kingmakers and Council members in the state must be indigenes of their Chiefdoms,” the memo read.
Atiku, whose birthplace—Jada Local Government Area—falls under the Ganye Chiefdom, does not belong to the Adamawa Emirate from which the Waziri title originates.
The title of Waziri Adamawa, the second-highest traditional position in the Adamawa Emirate, was conferred upon Atiku in 2017 by the Lamido of Adamawa, a position he held until this new government directive.
However, some analysts have attributed the development to fall out between Governor Fintiri and Atiku. The Governor and the former Vice President are members of the same party. But there are speculations that Fintiri may also be planning to dump PDP for APC
However, Atiku has not reacted to the development.
Perhaps, Atiku can take solace in the fact that he was not the only one affected by the development.
