Zamfara Governor Denies Dating Buhari’s Daughter

The governor of Zamfara State, Abdulazeez Yari, has denied reports that says he is in a romantic relationship with a daughter of President Muhammad Buhari, Zahra. He also refuted the report saying that he divorced one of his wives, Hadiza Umaru Shinkafi to accommodate Zahrah. Yari also said the reports published in two weekly publications of The City People magazine and The Polity with both indicating that he gave $200m to Zahra as a gift was a propaganda. He refuted these reports in his letters through his lawyer, Mr. Mahmud Magaji (SAN), to the publishers of the publications. The letters were made available to journalists on Wednesday. The governor accused the publishers of the publications in the letters dated January 18 and 19, 2016, of casting him in bad light and requesting them to retract the defamatory publications. He also threatened to sue the publishers for defamation, which could cost them about N100bn (in the case of The Polity) and N10bn (against City People). He noted that this would happen if they should fail to retract the publication and tender apology with seven days. Excerpts from 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.