Governor-Elect To Be Sworn-in By His Mother-in-Law On May 29th

History is about to be made in Niger State
as the governor–elect, Alhaji Abubakar Sani
Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
, will, on May 29, be sworn in by his
mother-in-law who is also the state’s Chief
Judge, Justice Fati Abubakar.
Bello, a son of a former military governor of
old Kano State and businessman, Colonel
Sani Bello (rtd) is married to Dr (Mrs) Aminat
Sani Bello, a medical practitioner and a
daughter of a former Military Head of State,
General Abdulsalami Abubakar. Justice
Abubakar is General Abubakar’s wife.
Section 185. (1) of the 1999 Constitution lists
the chief judge of a state first in the order of
judicial officers qualified to administer the
oath of office on governors.
That section of the constitution reads: “A
person elected to the office of the governor
of a state shall not begin to perform the
functions until he has declared his assets
and liabilities as prescribed in the
constitution and has subsequently taken
and subscribed the oath of allegiance and
oath of office prescribed in the Seventh
Schedule to this constitution.
“(2) The oath of allegiance and the oath of
office shall be administered by the chief
judge of the state or Grand Kadi of the
Sharia Court of Appeal of the state, if any or
President of the Customary Court of Appeal
of the state, if any, or the person for the
time being respectively appointed to
exercise the functions of any of those offices
in any state.”
The Kontagora, Niger State born business
man-cum politician, had told journalists in
Minna at a media parley shortly after he
emerged the gubernatorial candidate of APC
that aside the fact that he grew up in the
military barracks, he also attended Military
School, Zaria in Kaduna State after which he
went to the university.
According to him, “when growing up in the
barracks, you established some sorts of
bond between yourselves and we were like
one family, so we enjoyed the fold. The
supports of the retired Army Generals in
Niger State for my governorship aspiration
is not only an interim support, but yes I
have the support of the Generals, they have
prayed for me and wished me good luck
and that, on its own, is one of the things
one needs in the state.
“When you get blessings from your
parents because I see some of them (the
Generals) as my parents, then it means all is
well. Yes, I have their support, not
financially but spiritually.”