Yesterday’s session was the second in four months that the former Zamfara governor, who is also a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), would lead a team of Islamic clergy to Aso Rock to pray for Jonathan.
A source privy to yesterday’s prayer told our reporter that the session took place at the president’s office around 10.35am, and lasted for over 40 minutes.
The source disclosed further that the prayer was conducted in Arabic, and later interpreted in English by the Yariman Bakura.
The former Zamfara governor had early July this year led a team of Muslim clerics to a meeting with President Jonathan.
The July session, also held at the Villa in Abuja, had in attendance a representative of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, Sheikh Yusuf Sambo Rigachukun, Professor Tijjani el-Miskin and Zamfara state deputy governor, Ibrahim Wakkala Muhammad, who was a commissioner in Yarima’s cabinet when the latter was governor.
Explaining his decision to lead the clerics to Jonathan back in July, Yarima said the religious leaders went to Aso Rock to pray for peace in the country, and not to further Jonathan’s political objectives as insinuated.
Some media reports had it then that the senator shepherded the prominent Muslim clerics to meet with the president to further Jonathan’s yet-to-be declared second-term ambition, and also for him (Yarima) to try to supplant Vice President Muhammad Namadi Sambo on the presidential ballot in 2015.
President is for all of us and there is nothing bad for us to visit him,” he said, asking not to be named.
Incidentally, yesterday’s prayer session coincided with the absence of VP Sambo, who has led the Nigerian delegation to a Commonwealth business summit in Sri Lanka.
This heightened suspicions last night that the former Zamfara governor may actually be plotting to supplant the incumbent vice president. But concerted efforts to get Yarima’s reaction to the allegation, and explanation on the reason for the latest prayer session for Jonathan failed, as he could not be reached on his cell phone.
Also, he did not respond to an sms sent to his line, up to press time, last night.
Source: People’s Daily
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