Former Sokoto state Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has made a triumphant entry into the North-west state hours after he was released from the detention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Naija News recalls that the EFCC had summoned Tambuwal over alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals totalling ₦189 billion while in the saddle as governor from 2015 to 2023.
The arrest of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain had generated hot exchanges between the EFCC and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a coalition party also associated with Tambuwal.
Naija News gathered that PDP supporters had converged on the Sultan Abubakar International Airport, Sokoto, on Thursday, to receive the former governor.
The supporters drawn from the 23 local government areas of the state, filled the airport as early as 12:10 pm chatting ‘Sokoto sai Mutawalle’, ‘Tambuwal ne Jagoran Siyasar Sokoto’, meaning ‘Tambuwal is the leader of Sokoto politics’, ‘ Tambuwal owns Sokoto politics’.
Senator Tambuwal, who arrived the airport at about 1: 30 pm via Aero Contractors airline, spent about 5 hours on the road before getting to his residence at Gawon Nama area, which is usually a journey of 20 minutes.
Speaking to supporters, Tambuwal said: “My action is in tune with public wishes and opinion as a Nigerian and in order to reposition and right the wrongs with like minds. I remain one person that believes in democracy and good governance.”
Explaining that the coalition was based on the resolve from across patriotic professionals of like minds, the Senator insisted that the movement was tailored at ensuring things are done right.
“Some forces are not comfortable with the journey and want to intimidate some of us,” he said.
Speaking to Blueprint, a PDP supporter, Mohammad Abdullahi, claimed the former governor’s arrest was political witch hunt.
He added that “this would not derail our journey towards a better Nigeria. We stand with Tambuwal.”
When told if it wasn’t a thing of shame that they were queuing behind an alleged looter, he dismissed it, saying, “I am happy you said ‘alleged’. That claim does not exist.”
A member of the APC in Sokoto, Musa Ibrahim, condemned the heroic welcome given Senator Tambuwal.
He questioned: “What manner of welcome is this? Someone is being probed and we would not wait for the outcome. It is wrong to dismiss his arrest as witch-hunt. We are taking of N189nillion here for Allah’s sake.
“Yes, he is innocent until proven guilty, but this heroic welcome of sort, is sending a bad signal and encouraging poor governance.”
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