Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamafara State, has denied reports that he
is romantically involved with Zarah, one of the daughters of President
Muhammadu Buhari.
He
also denied reports that he gave the president’s daughter $200
million as gift and that he divorced one of his wives, Hadiza Umaru
Shinkafi, to accommodate Zarah.
The governor said the reports published in two weekly publications were false.
Yari’s position was contained in his letters to the publishers of the
publications, accusing them of casting him in bad light and requesting
them to retract the publications.
The letters, dated 18 and 19 January, were written for the governor
by his lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), wherein Yari threatened to sue the
publications for defamation, in which he would demand N100 billion (in
the case of the first publication) and N10 billion (against the second
publication) should they fail to retract the publication and tender
apology within seven days.
Part of the letters read: “The above publication, no doubt, is false
and defamatory, and it is intended to bring the reputation of our client
to ridicule and cause odium or malignity to our client.
“Since the above publication, our client has received countless phone
calls and text messages from family, friends, colleagues and
associates, who incessantly call to enquire about the said publication.
“Consequent upon the above, it is our client’s instruction that we
demand from you published retraction of the said defamatory piece in
three national newspapers inclusive of your own,” Yari said.
