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Disquiet In Zaria As Sambo And Yero Shun Dikko’s Burial

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There was disquiet in Zaria on Tuesday afternoon as Vice President Namadi Sambo and his godson governor of Kaduna state, Mukhtar Yero, shunned the burial of Alhaji Umaru Dikko, Nigeria’s former minister of transport and one of the most powerful men in the Second Republic.

The governor was represented by the Secretary to the State government.

A senior council member of the Zazzau Emirate confirmed the information to SaharaReporters over the telephone from our New York office.  Sambo and Yero are from Zaria, and the governor holds an Emirate traditional title.

The source said that hundreds at the palace were surprised that, given Dikko’s personality and political significance, neither man was present.

“It shocked us when the remains [were] brought to the palace and none of them was here except one minister who stood in for President Jonathan, but the homers shunned this burial, our people are angry and it doesn’t speak well of them.

“Dikko has significance in Nigeria and not even in our state, no matter their contributions they ought to have been here. The governor sent secretary of the government.”

Our enquiries in Abuja show that Barrister Tanimu Turaki, the Minister of Special Duties represented President Jonathan.