Says we got only one ministerial slot despite delivering state to APC
Few days after resigning his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former lawmaker representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Senator Kabiru Marafa, has accused President Bola Tinubu of marginalising the state.
Speaking on Channels Television programme, Politics Today, Marafa said he worked vigorously to ensure Mr President won his election in 2023 in Zamfara State. He said despite the effort, Mr President gave the state only a junior minister in his cabinet.
Marafa said: “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says every state must be represented in the Federal Executive Council that is to say there must be at least one Minister from the each of the states. But that is the minimum the Constitution talked about and what we are saying is that in the whole seven states of Northwest, Mr President was able to secure victory only in Jigawa and Zamfara states.
“What we have seen now is that Mr President even in our zone has giving each state two ministerial slots while we are left with only junior Minister of State for Defence. And don’t forget that the person the President made the Minister of State is not because of the baggage he comes along with, he was a 12 years member of the House of Representatives and four years as governor of Zamfara State.
“We felt slighted by that position regardless of who it is giving to compared to the effort we put to secure victory for Mr President. We deserved a senior ministerial portfolio for Zamfara State and many heads of agencies.
“Compare this to Lagos State, Mr President lost election in Lagos, how many slot did Lagos got from the cabinet. Take Ogun State for instance, how many slots did Ogun got? So, what we are saying is that looking at the treatment meted out on Nasir El-Rufai, Abdullahi Ganduje and me, we are now convinced that Mr President is a use-and-dump leader.
“Anybody can call me any name but I’m in politics to get positions and impact on the lives of my people. If you take the entire economic sector, CBN, FIRS, Customs, Pension Fund, Accountant General’s Office, everything is from one geo-political zone.
“We know what we have gotten from the Northwest and we know what the Southwest geo-political zone has gotten in terms of appointments and allocation of resources, it is left for Nigerians to judge.”
Reacting on those calling him a selfish politician, Marafa said he is in politics to occupy positions and impact on the lives of his people. “Why do you think I’m in politics? Why is Mr President himself in politics?
“If Mr President didn’t get the opportunity he got now to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, would he have been able to allocate resources as we saw in Daily Trust report, allocating N3.5 trillion to Lagos State, would he have been able to appoint these number of aides from Lagos State where he lost election?
“I don’t know what politics is all about because I’m not in politics to serve anybody. As my parents were not slaves, and I have never been a slave to anybody, I’m in politics to impact on the lives of my people. And I can only do that if I’m able to hold a position where I can help my people and that is the hallmark politics.
“Nobody can intimidate me about not getting what I want whether it is for selfish or whatever reason, I’m tested and trusted. I have been around and this is not the first time I’m holding a political position in Nigeria, I was a commissioner in my state and the records are there.
“If I use the commissionership to advance my selfish interest, Zamfara State people would be able to say. I was the chairman of the Federal College of Education Yola and I was a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for eight years representing my people. And what I did are there for everybody to see. If I used it to address my personal interest, then the Zamfara State people would be in a better position to say,” he said.
