US embassy cable - 02ABUJA3347

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