Political analysts warn Buhari to curtail the rejuvenated Aso Rock cabal who have bounced back after his return

POLITICAL insiders close to the government have warned President Muhammadu Buhari to step in and control the activities of the so-called Aso Rock cabal who have now reasserted themselves in power following his return from the UK.

Two weeks ago, President Buhari returned from a 105-day sojourn in the UK where he was receiving medical treatment and during his absence, vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo ran the country. However, it was reported that the cabal tried to undermine the acting president at every turn while he was in charge and President Buhari himself had to intervene to call them to order.

It is now being rumoured that following President Buhari's return to Nigeria, the cabal has reasserted itself and is controlling information, access to the president and the business of government.  Among those identified as being members of the cabal are the president’s nephew Mamman Daura, the father of the Federal Capital Territory minister Muhammad Bello, Musa Bello, the president’s chief of staff Abba Kyari, Samaila Isa Funtua and a few others.

While President Buhari was away, Professor Osinbajo won the admiration of many Nigerians and foreigners for the life he injected into government. Although he was said to have consulted the president in London before taking major decisions, he reportedly did not consult the members of the cabal whose influence ebbed considerably during the period.

One source close to the president said: “While Buhari was away, they tried to ensure that Osinbajo was not in control of the government by keeping information away from him. Kyari’s main job in the villa is to make Osinbajo look bad.”

However, with the return of the president, the cabal is said to be back in power. Reliable sources who are privy to the goings-on in the corridors of power described  President Buhari's return as bittersweet, adding that with his return, the cabal had taken over again.

“They seem to have a disproportionate influence on what Buhari does, what he says and who he appoints. This cannot be in doubt as it is the fact of the matter,” one sources added.

Dr Junaid Mohammed, a former member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic, added: “Off the cuff, one must mention Mamman Daura because he’s the kingpin and in actual fact, he wields more power than the president. After him, you have to mention the father to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Musa Bello.

“His son was made a minister, even though he has always been a card-carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and, in fact, he was chairman of the National Hajj Commission for four years in a PDP administration but when Buhari won, they made him a minister. Also, you have to mention the chief of staff, Abba Kyari, who is the pre-eminent lackey and errand boy of the mafia and you also have to include one character called Dr Mahmud Tukur, the younger brother of Bamanga Tukur."

Arewa Consultative Forum chieftain Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, who also said he was a member of the famed Kaduna Mafia, confirmed the existence of the cabal and its undue influence on the president. He added that the most powerful member of the group had always exerted a great deal of influence on President Buhari right from his days as a military head of state.

He added that General Tunde Idiagbon, then President Buhari’s second-in-command during his time as a military head of state, often  complained about the hold that Daura had on him. Alhaji Abdulrahman said it was because of the funny ways Daura and his people acted during Buhari’s regime that led General Babangida to overthrow the government.

 “What they do is they make sure they second-guess Osinbajo, what he’s going to do and then they go ahead and get Buhari to commit to a contrary opinion or a contrary line of action. They first try to see what he is likely to do; they don’t go and tell Buhari this is what Osinbajo is planning to do.

 They get Buhari to commit sometimes, publicly to a view, policy or thrust, which is contrary to what Osinbajo has been trying to bring up as a policy. They do that by frustrating the vice president and making sure that he doesn’t have his way," Alhaji Abdulrahman added.