Sansani Chiefdom: Why Two ‘Kingmakers’ Were Excluded From Voting

•Residents Happy, Celebrating Nuhu Bello's Emergence As New Chief - Traditional Council 

The Sansani Traditional Council has dismissed reports suggesting tension in the Sansani Chiefdom of Gassol Local Government Area, Taraba State, following the election of Bello Nuhu Mohammed Bello as the new Second Class Chief of the Chiefdom.

Hussaini Ibrahim Maigari, the Secretary to the Chiefdom, refuted these claims, stating that the people of Sansani have joyfully accepted the election of Bello Nuhu Mohammed Bello, who will be known as Jankada the Third. He emphasized that the community is going about their daily activities without any disturbances, and even the palace drummers are celebrating the new chief.

According to Maigari, the discontent expressed by some individuals stems from the fact that their candidate received only one out of the seven votes cast by the legitimate Kingmakers. These individuals, he said, are simply trying to cause confusion, as their candidate failed, much like in 2012, when the same person lost in a contest for district head against the late Jankada the Second, Abdulmutalib Nuhu Mohammed Bello.

Maigari also addressed calls for the cancellation of the election, asserting that those advocating for such actions are misinformed.

 He explained that with the creation of the Sansani Chiefdom, many traditional structures, including the list of Kingmakers, had been restructured. He stressed that the introduction of new governance and legal frameworks for the Chiefdom was part of a broader state initiative to establish new chiefdoms in Taraba State.

"The creation of Sansani Chiefdom marked a new era," Maigari noted. "Many old names and roles have been updated in line with the state's evolving governance structure, and the public should understand that change is inevitable."

On the exclusion of certain individuals from the Kingmaker role, Maigari clarified that the names of two former Kingmakers, Yahya Salihu Sarkin Dukku and Ibrahim Hassan Baraya, were not included in the new Gazette issued by the State Government. According to the Gazette, these individuals are no longer recognized as Kingmakers.

"While they served as Kingmakers for decades, it's important to recognize that the previous government may have replaced them because of their involvement in past disputes. For instance, when the late Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai appointed Abdulmutalib Nuhu as district head in 2012, they protested after their candidate lost. Their ongoing attempts to disrupt peace in Sansani Chiefdom should be monitored by both the government and security agencies," Maigari stated.

Regarding the role of the Village Head of Nanguru from another Chiefdom, some have questioned his inclusion as a Kingmaker in the election process. Maigari clarified that, although Nanguru was later ceded to Kwararrafa Chiefdom, the Gazette for Sansani Chiefdom, issued before the creation of Kwararrafa, listed the Village Head of Nanguru as a Kingmaker for Sansani. The state government has confirmed that this inclusion remains valid, despite the subsequent changes in administrative boundaries.

Maigari concluded by stating that the rumors of tension and division within the community are baseless. "The claim that there is unrest in Sansani Chiefdom over the legitimacy of Bello Nuhu Mohammed Bello's election is false. It is merely a fabrication by a few individuals who thrive on sowing discord in the Chiefdom. Peace remains intact in Sansani, and the community continues to move forward," he said.