NIGERIA: MODERATE MUSLIM SENATOR TO CONTEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 003347

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: MODERATE MUSLIM SENATOR TO CONTEST
ZAMFARA GOVERNORSHIP

Classified by Ambassador Howard F. Jeter for reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d).


1.(C) Ambassador Jeter met December 16 with Senator Lawal
Shuaibu who represents Zamfara State and is ANPP Whip in the
Senate. RNLEO was notetaker. Shuaibu is known to the Embassy
for his past Chairmanship of the Senate Drugs and Financial
Crimes Committee. He recently declared his formal candidacy
for the Governorship of Zamfara on the ANPP ticket.


2.(C) The Ambassador applauded the efforts of Shuaibu and
other members of the Senate instrumental in approving the
three pieces of anti-money laundering legislation prior to
the December 15 deadline imposed by the Financial Action Task
Force. Shuaibu explained the last minute changes made by the
Senate -- changes that weakened the Money Laundering Act
Amendment considerably -- were the result of a few Senators
who put their personal interests ahead of national interests
and were afraid that the bill's requirements could somehow be
used against them politically by the President. The
Ambassador praised the Senate's commitment to meeting in
emergency session to restore the amendment to its earlier,
stronger version in time for the President to sign it and the
other two bills into Law on December 14.




3.(C) After expressing condolences over the recent loss of
Senator Idris Abubakar (Gombe State) who passed away December
11 in a London hospital, the Ambassador asked Shuaibu for a
readout on his political plans. Shuaibu noted that he has
begun an aggressive campaign to unseat Governor Sani, whom he
views as "incompetent, corrupt and dangerous." Claiming that
it is an "open secret" that Sani pockets much of the federal
funds received by Zamfara State and earmarked for Local
Government Areas (LGAs) for public works projects, Shuaibu
characterized the Governor as "the biggest thief in Zamfara."






4.(C) Sani's professed allegiance to Sharia is a farce, noted
Shuaibu, who claimed that Sani personally does not practice
Sharia even in Zamfara. Sani is widely known to have
girlfriends in Abuja whom he visits frequently and one in
London who draws him abroad whenever possible. The
imposition of Sharia rule in Zamfara, now three years old,
has not improved the law and order situation in the state.
Instead, the crime rate is increasing, with daytime robberies
occurring brazenly.


5.(C) Shuaibu also expressed concern that Sani is courting
indigenous and foreign Islamic extremists. Hezbah, a group
of Islamic fundamentalists based in northern Nigeria, has
been funded and encouraged by Sani, according to Shuaibu.
(Note: The Hezbah form Sharia Compliance Squads in some
states, including Zamfara, where they are given
quasi-official status. According to some accounts, Hezbah
activists instigated the November 22 riot in Abuja, emanating
from the Friday afternoons prayers in Abuja's National
Mosque. End Note) Sani also reportedly met recently with
Saudi fundamentalist in the Saudi town of "Daman," which the
Senator described as a "volatile area" of the Islamic
Kingdom. Shuaibu opined that Nigeria's State Security
Service should investigate Sani's foreign extremist ties.
Allegations also continue to surface that Sani is accepting
money from fundamestalist Arab sources, asserted Shuaibu.


6.(C) Shuaibu hoped that the Federal Government will
disqualify Sani as a gubernatorial candidate, based on Sani's
alleged corruption. The Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) and the State
Security Service (SSS) are charged with providing to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dossiers on
electoral candidates who are not fit to hold office because
of their corruption of criminal behavior. Shuaibu is lobbying
the President's office to have these agencies submit a report
to INEC declaring Sani unfit to contest the Governorship a
second time. Shuaibu also claimed that National Security
Advisor Aliyu Mohammed, a native of Zamfara, backed his
efforts to unseat Sani "100 percent," although Shuaibu and
Mohammed are in different parties. Shuaibu appealed to the
Ambassador to use his influence in supporting this effort,
calling on the Embassy to push for Sani's disqualification
with INEC. The Ambassador did not offer this support but
pledge to keep an "ear to the ground," particularly within
the Presidential camp, on developments surrounding the
Zamfara gubernatorial race.


7.(C) Comment: Governor Sani is known for introducing
"political" Sharia to northern Nigeria; during his tenure,
Zamfara was the first state to expand the application of
Sharia law to cover criminal matters. Sani's critics claim
he is not a devout Muslim and has played the Sharia card to
bolster his political standing. His politicization of
religion has shown through other rash acts such as his late
2001 declaration of "jihad" against Muslims in the PDP whom
he felt were trying to impeach him. Most recently, his
Deputy Governor -- who many believe was acting on Sani's
instructions -- declared a "fatwa" against a journalist of
"This Day" -- the Nigerian daily newspaper that published the
remark perceived as blasphemy against Islam. While Shuaibu's
attacks on Sani are in part politically motivated, Shuaibu,
in contrast to Sani, is a moderate with a good track record
of chairing Senate Committees and working well with the
Executive branch (despite being from a different party). He
is well disposed to the U.S. and has broad support from
influential political figures. His victory in the
gubernatorial race in Zamfara could help moderate religious
politics in Northern Nigeria.
JETER