New Etsu of Kwali didn’t emerge through due process – Says contestant
…Seeks Wike’s intervention
By Sadiq Abubakar, Abuja
A contestant for the stool of the Etsu of Kwali chiefdom in Kwali area council of the FCT, Sanusi Suleiman Yarima, has rejected the appointment of Luka Ayedo Nizassan as the new Etsu of Kwali chiefdom, saying such appointment did not follow through due process.
Our conversation learnt that the FCT mandate secretary for area councils service secretariat, Lawrence Bitrus Garki, last Friday, in his office presented appointment letter to Luka Ayedo Nizassan as the new second class Etsu of Kwali, following the FCT minister’s approval, Nyemso Wike.
Read: Unpaid arrears: FCT primary school teachers resumes strike
The Etsu of Kwali stool became vacant after the demised of the late Etsu of Kwali chiefdom, Alhaji Shaban Audu Nizazo who died on December, 29, 2023, after a brief illness at a private hospital in Abuja.
Addressing press conference in Abuja, on Wednesday, Sanusi Suleiman Yarima, who is a contestant for the Etsu of Kwali stool, said there was no scrutiny or voting process that was carried out by the king makers.
He said despite there are laid down process of selection of new chiefs which he said has even spelt out by FCT administration and gazetted, saying such processes were not followed in the case of Kwali chiefdom.
He said he received with shock that the name of Luka Ayedo Nizassan, who was among four people contesting for the stool of Etsu of Kwali has been forwarded and approved as the new Etsu of Kwali without the consent of other contestants.
According to him, he and other three contestants had prior before now perceived a fowl play by the king makers to do the bidding of the council chairman, Danladi Chiya, which he said he and three other contestants wrote a complaints letter to the FCT administration.
“I alongside three other contestants wrote a complaints letter to the former FCT minister of state, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, who immediately set up a committee headed by director of chieftaincy and community development, Awwal Manu Dogon-Daji to chair the selection process” he said.
He, however, said his name and two others were later forwarded to the minister for selection among them, saying when the new minister of state assumed office and was issued an invitation letter to convey a stakeholders meeting over the matter.
“On 7th February 2024 the issued me a letter inviting me for a stakeholders meeting with the hon minister of state on 7th of February 2024, unfortunately, the Ona of Abaji Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, lost one of his cabinet members, which resulted to not holding the meeting again. It was while waiting for the minister to communicate another date, when I heard that a new chief of Kwali has been appointed,” he said.
He said it was that premise that he is challenging the appointment of Laka Ayedo Nizassan as the new Etsu of Kwali.
“Because the Etsu of Kwali has two rulling house and we are practicing rotation system among the rulling houses, which we have the descendant of Etsu wari is ETSU Nizassan, ETSU Nizeasan clan have two lineages house Salihu Kpetu and Godaza Salihu Kpetu who have ruled from 1984 to 1997 when he died, it now rotate to Etsu Nizazo in which ETSU shaaban Audu Nizazo who ruled from 1997 to 2022 after his demise,” he said.
He added ” after Shaban Nizizo, it will now move to Etsu Nizassan clan in which Godaza Nizassan lineage will now produce the next Etsu of Kwali, but to our surprised the pick a new chief from Etsu Salihu Kpetu lineage repeating the same house, while denying Godaza lineage from rulling, which is pure injustice,” he said.
The contestant, therefore, called on the FCT minister Nyesom Wike, to intervene for justice and transparency to prevail.
“And it is on this ground that I am urging the FCT minister Nyemso Wike to quickly wade in to do justice in this matter, which I have I believe and have the confidence that Wike is a man of that always stand for justice and will do it,” he said.
