A former governor of Zamfara State and senator representing Zamfara West, Abdulaziz Yari, is reportedly being interrogated by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
While the exact reason for his detention and interrogation remains unclear, sources suggest it may be related to his refusal to answer phone calls from President Bola Tinubu amid the ongoing power struggle for the position of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.
Yari has reportedly spent three nights in custody since his arrest on Thursday July 6.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the power struggle for the leadership of the 10th Assembly has been contentious, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) designating the South-South region as the rightful holder of the Senate President position, favouring Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Additionally, Senator Jubrin Barau from the North West was chosen as the preferred candidate for the deputy Senate President position.
However, Yari and other lawmakers resisted the APC’s decision, leading to a lack of consensus. Yari went on to contest against the party’s chosen candidate and although he failed to secure enough votes for the position, concerns over irregularities have emerged, and there are speculations that the outcome may be challenged in court.
Some political analysts say the decision to pursue legal action against the party’s position could strain Yari’s relationship with the President and impair Yari’s political future.
While details regarding Yari’s arrest remain unclear, it is speculated that his detention may be related to the ongoing power struggle and the corruption case involving the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).
It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously arrested Yari over allegations of fraud linked to the diversion of N22 billion meant for SURE-P.
Amidst the escalating pressure surrounding the leadership of the 10th Assembly and the swirling rumours of Yari’s imminent arrest, a restraining order had previously been issued by the court.
This order explicitly prevented the EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and DSS from detaining Yari until June 27, 2023.
As of now, there has been no official statement from the DSS regarding Yari’s detention. Efforts to reach the DSS for confirmation regarding Yari’s alleged detention were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.