News

A.A Zaura: He Has Not Seat In Power,But A Place In Every Heart

Published

9 months ago

May 28, 2025

AA zaura

By Dr Ramadan Ali PhD

In the theatre of life where many chase titles, positions, and applause, some men choose to walk quietly through the back door of history, carrying nothing but the weight of compassion on their shoulders.

Among such rare men stands A.A. Zaura, not adorned with the ornaments of office, nor shielded by the cloak of political immunity, but wrapped in the humble garb of service the kind that needs no microphone to echo.

While many climb the ladder of influence with power-hungry hands, Zaura has chosen to lift others with market-worn palms the hands of a businessman who never allowed profit to replace purpose.

It is said that “a tree is known not by the noise it makes in the wind, but by the fruit it bears.” A.A. Zaura has borne fruit in silence. From the bustling corners of Kano’s marketplaces, where traders bargain over tomatoes and textiles, to the silent alleys where lost youths dance with addiction and crime, Zaura’s money moves not towards building mansions in cities of gold, but towards rebuilding lives that society has written off.

His profit, earned honestly through the sweat of commerce, has become a weapon against ignorance, a shield against poverty, and a bridge for the hopeless. Where others chase contracts, he chases change. Where some see the people as burdens, he sees them as the backbone of a better tomorrow.

There’s an African proverb: “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” Zaura heard the silent screams of these forgotten children the drug addicts, the street boys, the phone snatchers whose lives are but twisted poems of a broken system and instead of turning a blind eye like many politicians do, he turned his heart toward them. Not with condemnation, but with compassion. Not with judgment, but with justice.

And he does this not from the comfort of an air-conditioned government office or a convoy of bulletproof vehicles. No he does it with his own hard-earned money, carved from the toil of market stalls and business deals. He funds sensitization programs in slums, organizes reformation drives in public schools, sponsors enlightenment seminars about the dangers of drug abuse, and works with local mentors to snatch the youth from the jaws of destruction.

Ask the mother whose son was lured from the street and enrolled into a skill acquisition center sponsored by Zaura she will tell you, “He is a father to the fatherless.”
Ask the reformed street boy who once wielded daggers in the dark but now holds a pen in the light he will whisper, “Zaura did not give up on me when even my family did.”

This is the measure of the man. Not in the number of television interviews he grants, but in the lives he silently lifts. Not in how often he appears in newspapers, but in the neighborhoods he transforms.

They say “he who carries the people’s burden without being asked has already proven he can lead them.” And in that, A.A. Zaura has passed the test many elected officials continue to fail. While others wait to be sworn into office before they start serving, Zaura serves without being sworn, loves without being lobbied, and uplifts without being urged.

The irony is deafening: those in power sit idle while the powerless do the real work. This man this son of the market, this unsung architect of peace has shown that leadership is not a seat; it is a sacrifice. And he makes that sacrifice every day.

“When the drumbeat changes, the dancer must also change his steps.” Nigeria is dancing dangerously close to the edge. Our youth are slipping. Our morals are fading. Our streets are crying. The time has come for a different kind of leader not a title-bearer, but a burden-bearer. Not a noise-maker, but a nation-healer.

If character still counts…
If selflessness still matters…
If service still outweighs speech…

Then the question must be asked: If not A.A. Zaura, who else?

Who else has used his wealth not to build walls, but to break chains?
Who else has taken profit from market stalls and turned it into purpose in forgotten streets?
Who else has lived among the people, walked their pain, shared their silence, and turned it into strength?

The answer is loud in its simplicity.

A.A. Zaura is not just a name he is a necessity.
A voice we did not expect, but desperately need.
A flame flickering in the wind, yet refusing to go out.

It is time.
Not to reward him.
But to release him into leadership. Into higher service. Into the place where empathy meets power and where his passion can protect even more lives.

A shepherd does not need to be crowned before he protects his flock.” But sometimes just sometimes the flock must crown him, not for his gain, but for their survival.

News

Legal Troubles Mount for El-Rufai as ICPC Takes Him into Custody

Published

3 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The legal challenges facing the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, intensified on Wednesday as he was taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The anti-graft agency confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday, signed by its Head of Media and Public Communications, J. Okor Odey.

“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) writes to state that Malam Nasiru El-Rufai the former Governor of Kaduna state is in our custody as at close of work, Wednesday the 18th day of February, 2026,” the statement read. “Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the Commission in connection with investigations.”

While the ICPC did not disclose the specific details of the allegations, his detention marks a significant escalation in the scrutiny of his eight-year tenure and follows a recent high-profile arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

El-Rufai’s transfer to ICPC custody comes immediately after he spent two nights with the EFCC over allegations of large-scale corruption and embezzlement. Those allegations stem from a Kaduna State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee report, which indicted his administration for allegedly siphoning approximately ₦432 billion through questionable contracts and money laundering.

Sources revealed that while the EFCC had granted the former governor administrative bail, the process was derailed under controversial circumstances. The bail conditions reportedly required a Permanent Secretary and a Director in a federal ministry to stand as sureties. However, after one of the proposed sureties—a Permanent Secretary—arrived at the EFCC office to complete the formalities, the agency allegedly hesitated and later declined to proceed.

Further compounding the issue, it was learned that the Permanent Secretary subsequently withdrew from the process, citing alleged threats. This has raised concerns about possible intimidation and interference in the case.

El-Rufai was scheduled to appear before the ICPC on Wednesday for questioning over separate corruption allegations, leading to his transfer to the commission’s custody.

In a parallel legal front, the Department of State Services (DSS) has filed charges against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges, filed under suit number FHC/CR/99/2026, allege that the former governor unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

According to court documents dated February 16, 2026, the prosecution’s case hinges on comments El-Rufai made during a televised interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on February 13, 2026.

In the first count, the former governor is accused of unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications, an offense said to be contrary to Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

The second count alleges that El-Rufai admitted to knowing individuals involved in the interception but failed to report them to relevant security agencies, an offense under Section 27(b) of the same Act.

In the third count, prosecutors allege that El-Rufai and “others still at large” used technical systems to compromise public safety and national security by unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications, contrary to Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

El-Rufai has consistently denied all allegations leveled against him, describing them as politically motivated “witch-hunts.” However, with the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS all pursuing separate investigations, the former governor now faces an unprecedented multi-agency legal offensive.

News

Veteran Kano Broadcaster Lami Maccido Dies at 72

Published

24 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

A veteran Kano broadcaster who worked with the Kano State pioneer-owned television station, Lami Hafsat Maccido, has died at 72.

According to multiple sources, including veteran journalists, Hajiya Lami Hafsat Maccido died in the early hours of Wednesday.

She was among the pioneer casters of CTV 67, which is now ARTV, established by the first civilian Governor of Kano State, Late Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Rimi.

Before Hajiya Lami Maccido retired from the state television station, she captivated her audience with eloquent news presentation and was a role model for young journalists.

Tributes have continued to pour in for the late veteran journalist from her senior and junior colleagues.

Former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kano Council, Abbas Ibrahim, described Hajiya Lami Hafsat Maccido as a very humble journalist who corrected her juniors with humility.

News

Tinubu Signs Electoral Act Amendment Bill Into Law Ahead of 2027 Polls

Published

1 day ago

February 18, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday gave his assent to the Electoral Act 2022 (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a move that comes just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unveiled the official timetable for the 2027 general elections.

The signing ceremony took place at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after 5:00 pm. The event was attended by key leaders of the National Assembly, who facilitated the bill’s speedy passage a day earlier.

The newly signed amendment has thrust the contentious issue of electronic transmission of election results back into the national spotlight. While the legislation signals a continued commitment to technological integration, the specifics of the amendment are expected to shape the operational framework for INEC in the upcoming electoral cycle.

Civil society organizations and opposition political parties have consistently advocated for the mandatory real-time transmission of results directly from polling units to INEC’s central viewing portal. They argue that such transparency is critical to safeguarding the electoral process, reducing human interference, and bolstering public confidence in election outcomes.

This demand follows the technical glitches experienced during the 2023 general elections, where the malfunction of INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) led to widespread allegations of manipulation and sparked protests.

While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed general support for deploying technology to enhance electoral integrity, the implementation strategy remains a point of contention. Some political stakeholders and technical experts are advocating for a cautious approach, citing significant disparities in network connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure across the country. They propose a phased or hybrid model that would allow for manual collation as a failover in areas where electronic systems are unreliable, ensuring that no voter is disenfranchised due to technical failures.

With the amendment now law, attention turns to the execution of the 2027 elections. According to the previously released INEC timetable, voters will head to the polls on Saturday, February 20, 2027, to elect the President and members of the National Assembly. This will be followed by the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday, March 6, 2027.