According to a report by Punch Newspapers, some members of the so-called cabal in the Presidency are hell-bent on making sure the President, Muhammadu Buhari does not succeed as a Nigerian leader; also doing everything possible to ensure Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is ‘very dispensable’.

In the report, some names like Mamman Daura; the father to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (Muhammed Bello) Musa Bello; the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Samaila Isa Funtua and a host of others were mentioned as those ‘controlling’ the government.

In an interview with ‘concerned sources’, it was confirmed that the ‘cabal’ is indeed more powerful than Buhari and would always continue to be until the President goes out of his way and sends them away.

A source who is close to the president said, While Buhari was away, they tried to ensure that Osinbajo was not in control of the government, by keeping away information from Osinbajo. Kyari’s main job in the villa is to make Osinbajo look bad – the report states.

Therefore, the cabal was not in control until the President returned; and when he did, they resumed their duties.

They seem to have a disproportionate influence on what he (Buhari) does, what he says, and who he appoints. This cannot be in doubt; it is the fact of the matter, one of the sources said.

It was also stated by another that was interviewed that the cabal has been in control of Buhari even during his tenure as a military ruler.

A former member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic, Dr Junaid Mohammed, confirmed the return of the cabal.

He said, Off the cuff, one must mention Mamman Daura because he’s the kingpin and, in actual fact, he wields more power than the President. He knows; the President knows and those of them who are in government also know. After him, you have to mention the father to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Musa Bello.

The son was made a minister, even though he has always been a card-carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party. And, in fact, he was chairman of the National Hajj Commission for four years in a PDP administration. Then, when Buhari won, they made him a minister. Also, you have to mention the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, who is the pre-eminent lackey and errand boy of the mafia. You also have to include one character called Dr. Mahmud Tukur, the younger brother of Bamanga Tukur.

Essentially, you can say that between the Buhari administration and the Kaduna Mafia is a revolving door. Once you come from the Kaduna Mafia, you occupy a very important position and there is no doubt about that — the same revolving-door policy was operated when he (Buhari) was Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund.

The names I mentioned are the prominent members of the Kaduna Mafia. Again, it is not a (definitive) list because they keep coming in and out. But one thing about them is that they believe they have a divine right to dominate the North, and if they dominate the North, (they believe) they have a divine right to dominate Nigeria.

It continued…

Speaking also, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, who also said he was a member of the famed Kaduna Mafia, confirmed the existence of the cabal and its undue influence on the President.

It is not for nothing that Aisha (the First Lady) cried out. Do you remember when she spoke about the hyenas and the jackals? They are the ones controlling Buhari now. The President must muster courage and drive away the cabal he has surrounded himself with. The cabal is a bunch of hustlers, fleecing the president and his family. They are not human beings. They are not interested in Buhari’s success.

Then it ends…

The media team in the Presidency have not responded to the claims.

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram