A northern-based socio-political group, Mai Kare Talakawa (MKT), has expressed strong opposition to the appointment of former Zamfara State Governor and serving Senator, Abdulaziz Yari, as Chairman of the Board of Geregu Power Plc, saying the development does not inspire confidence among ordinary people in the region.
The group made its position known in a statement issued on Friday and signed by its spokesperson, Mallam Yusuf Mohammed, amid widespread reactions to Yari’s appointment following the resignation of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.
According to MKT, it would rather defend the interests of the poor and vulnerable than join what it described as “the bandwagon of praise singers who unite to enrich themselves at the expense of the masses.”
The group questioned the source of Senator Yari’s wealth, noted that despite his long years in public office as a commissioner, two-term governor of Zamfara State and now a senator he has no widely known business background capable of justifying the scale of wealth reportedly used to acquire controlling shares in Geregu Power Plc.
MKT said Zamfara State, which Yari governed for eight years, remained one of the poorest states in Nigeria, added that such accumulation of wealth by a former public office holder from a poverty-stricken state contradicted Islamic principles of justice and accountability.
“For someone who governed one of the poorest states in Nigeria, the level of wealth displayed in this acquisition raises serious moral and ethical questions. The youths were left without jobs for eight years, while poverty and insecurity worsened,” the statement said.
The group also raised concerns over a possible conflict of interest, pointing out that Yari is a serving senator with oversight responsibilities, yet now chair the board of a major power generation company.
Describing the reported acquisition of Geregu Power shares, estimated at over ₦1 trillion, as “outlandish,” MKT argued that the transaction offers no tangible benefit to the people of Zamfara State and could further aggravate insecurity linked to illegal mining activities in the region.
“When Nigerians expected recovery of funds and assets from ongoing investigations involving EFCC, ICPC and DSS, it was shocking to read that the same individual was acquiring a power plant worth over one trillion naira. This is preposterous,” the group stated.
MKT further cited a 2024 report which ranked Zamfara as the third most multidimensionally poor state in Nigeria, with over 82 per cent of its population living in poverty, only behind Sokoto and Jigawa states.
The group warned that continued neglect of social justice and accountability by political elites could worsen insecurity in the North, while urging Senator Yari and other leaders to reflect on recent remarks by Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, who criticised lavish spending by elites amid rising poverty, Almajiri numbers and out-of-school children in the region.
Geregu Power Plc, located in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, had announced Yari’s appointment as board chairman on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), a development that has continued to attract public scrutiny due to controversies surrounding his tenure as Zamfara State governor and allegations linked to corruption, illegal mining and insecurity.
