Zwingina: No Political Agenda in Amaechi’s Daura’s Title

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Former Senator representing Adamawa South constituency of Adamawa State, Jonathan Zwingina has said that nothing extraordinary should be imputed into the forthcoming turbaning of Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Chibike Amaechi as Dan Amanar Daura (trusted son of Daura) by the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar.

Zwingina stated this yesterday in response to the political colouration that has trailed the exercise scheduled for Daura on February 5.

He insisted that the Katsina State community in its culture was only showing appreciation to the minister for singling them with projects that will be of benefit to the.

“The kind of projects that the minister has put in that place – I am sure they were not requested for by the President. The community was aware that the minister in his wisdom considered them worthy to put those projects like University of Transport, secondary schools and primary schools, which are all corporate social responsibility projects practically free of charge as compatibles to the actual financial projects the Chinese are operating,” Zwingina said.

He also downplayed the speculations that the timing of the traditional title ceremony is close to the 2023 election by insisting there is nothing unusual about the timing.

Zwingina, who was in the Senate from 1999- 2007, referenced former Governor of Abia State State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who was also turbaned in 2018 as “Dan Baiwan Hausa’’ by the same Daura community despite having court cases for corruption at the time, even though speculations were rife he was trying to buy his way.

“They just felt they needed to do that. I think it is a community that has learnt to show appreciation at the level of the Emir, when someone has reached out to them properly. I do not think that there is anything political about it? In Ameachi’s case, there is a cogent and verifiable reason which is the existence of the projects and indeed the near completion of some of them. If they are doing it to boost his image what would be wrong with that? People do good things so that at least if there is an opportunity for people to remember such things, so be it. The people are just appreciative and the projects are legacy project,” he said.

He also stressed that most of the local chiefs are non-political and it will be unkind to imagine political motive for their gesture.