Junaid Mohammed Attacks Presidency, Says Buhari Cannot Deny Amina Zakari

Dr. Junaid Mohammed, lambasted the Presidency for “trying to
distance President Muhammadu Buhari from Amina” who, he claimed, to
be a blood-relation of the President.

Mohammed, a Second Republic politician and member of the 2014
National Conference, told Sunday
Vanguard^[1]
that it was shameful for an aide of Buhari to try to distance
Buhari from Amina Zakari.

A presidential aide, Shehu Garba, had said the INEC Commissioner
is not related to Buhari.

The INEC chief, in an interview with BBC News Igbo, yesterday,
distanced herself from the niggling allegation that she is related
to Buhari.

Her words, “I am not his (Buhari) niece. I am not his cousin. I
was appointed to this same particular job by ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan in 2010. Prior to that, I was appointed an A.S to former
President Olusegun Obasanjo and I did my job perfectly”.

Disputing her position, however, Junaid told Vanguard,
yesterday, “For those who do not know, let it be known
(and let me repeat it) that Buhari’s sister, who was married to a
prominent Emir in Kazaure, in the present Jigawa State, gave birth
to Amina”.

He added, “It is doubtful if Buhari himself can say that Amina
Zakari is not his niece. I can say, without any fear, that Buhari
cannot deny his direct sibling.”

Mohammed said that although Amina is a pharmacist by profession
and had been working hard in many other places, it was former
President Goodluck Jonathan who nominated her as a National
Commissioner to represent the North-West, with some inputs from
then Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, presidential candidate,
Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, at that time.

Asked to explain why Amina’s position in INEC is currently
generating controversy after she had been in the commission for
more than eight years without any linkage to Buhari, the northern
politics said that Amina should step aside at once because of the
perception by the public that she could unduly influence the
outcome of the election for Buhari.

“In the political situation where we have found ourselves,
whether she is a blood relation or not of the President, she has to
step aside once there has been widespread perception that she’s
related to Buhari”, he stated.

“She became the most senior person in INEC but she read pharmacy
and cannot be said to be the most suitable for the job. I warned
INEC chiefs over Amina’s position long ago and they decided not to
do something about the dilemma they now have on their hands.

“It was a wrong appointment ab initio and she should quietly
step aside because of her relationship with the President. Let her
go because the job she is expected to do is far beyond her.”