Renowned Islamic scholar in Bauchi State, Sheikh Dahiru Usman-Bauchi, has disassociated himself from a letter that has been making the rounds on social media about the legal dispute over Kano State’s governorship.
In an attempt to sway the ruling of the Supreme Court, Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, was the recipient of the alleged letter, headlined “Request for Prompt Intervention of Justice,” which surfaced on social media.
After the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling of the election petition tribunal, which removed Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and declared Dr. Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the victor, the Supreme Court had postponed its decision in the Kano governorship appeal until last Thursday.
However, in a statement released on Sunday, Sayyadi Tijjani, the vice chairman of the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation and a son of the Islamic cleric, rejected the letter.
He made the following statement on his father’s behalf: “We were alerted to the alleged letter that was delivered to the Chief Justice of Nigeria. People from various walks of life are contacting to check the letter’s veracity and truthfulness.
The letter did not originate from Maulana Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, as is actually the case. Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi does not utilise the typeface on the letterhead.
The writers falsified the letterhead of the Sheikh Dahiru Foundation, and although the Sheikh does not sign any letters anymore, he does use a unique seal and stamp on all of his correspondence.