By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
A fresh controversy has emerged following a press statement allegedly issued from the office of former Vice President Arc. Namadi Sambo, which distanced itself from Umar Sani, the ex-VP’s former media aide.
Sani, in a statement on Sunday, dismissed the disclaimer—purportedly signed by one Yinka Ibrahim—as spurious and unnecessary, questioning the timing of the declaration, nine years after he allegedly ceased being Sambo’s spokesperson.
According to Sani, after the former Vice President left office in 2015, he personally requested that Sani continue as his spokesperson and speechwriter. Initially reluctant, Sani said he was persuaded in a meeting that included Sambo’s political adviser and his chief medical physician.
“At that meeting, his political adviser suggested that I be compensated with my official salary to continue in my role. After much entreaty, I ultimately agreed to serve on a pro bono basis. To this day, I have not received a single penny for my contributions,” Sani revealed.
Sani further pointed to instances in 2018 when he actively represented the former Vice President. During the PDP presidential campaign of Kabir Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Sambo nominated him to serve as his media representative.
“When it was time to travel to Port Harcourt for the PDP National Convention, I was scheduled to fly with the Kabir Tanimu Turaki Campaign Council. However, the former Vice President insisted that I travel with him aboard his chartered aircraft.”
Additionally, Sani recalled an incident involving former Speaker Ghali Umar Na’Abba, who, in 2018, criticized Sambo’s response to concerns over Nigeria’s declining education standards during his tenure.
“The ex-VP later asked me to respond to the former Speaker. My question is: was I then permitted to address the matter without proper authorization since I had allegedly ceased to be his spokesperson in 2016?” he queried.
Sani suggested that the disclaimer might be linked to business interests rather than actual concerns about his public comments.
“Perhaps, as a contractor, the former Vice President’s concern lies in the potential impediments my views and stance on national issues might present to his current contractual endeavors,” he speculated.
Despite the controversy, Sani maintained that his relationship with the former Vice President remains amicable, adding that he had never issued statements on Sambo’s behalf in recent years.
“What perhaps unsettles him is my being referenced as his former media aide, a designation that shall undoubtedly endure the test of time.”
As of now, neither the former Vice President nor his office has issued a further statement regarding the controversy. The true motivations behind the disclaimer remain subject to speculation, but for Sani, the attempt to sever ties appears belated and questionable.
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