Ibrahim Saminu Turaki

Ibrahim Saminu Turaki
Constituency Jigawa North West
Governor of Jigawa State
In office
29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007
Preceded by Abubakar Maimalari
Succeeded by Sule Lamido
Senator Jigawa North West
In office
29 May 2007 – May 2011
Succeeded by Danladi Abdullahi Sankara
Personal details
Born 14 July 1963
Political party People's Democratic Party (PDP)
Profession Politician

Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki is a Nigerian politician and former governor of Jigawa State in Nigeria. He was a Jigawa state chairman of SDP (Social Democratic Party) and UNCP (United Nigeria Congress Party).[1]

Background

Ibrahim Saminu Turaki was born on 14 July 1963. He attended the Federal Government College Kaduna and the Ahmadu Bello University where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science in 1985.[2]

Jigawa governor

Jigawa State, Nigeria

He was governor of Jigawa State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He was elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2003 on the platform of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP).[1] In 2000, Turaki decentralized the Jigawa state government, allocating many aspects to the five Emirate councils of Hadejia, Dutse, Gumel, Ringim and Kazaure.[3]

In 2002, Turaki supported a ruling that a couple convicted of having sex outside marriage should be executed.[4] In September 2006, Ibrahim Turaki was attacked by angry crowds when he tried to calm down a mob who burned churches and shops belonging to Christians after an alleged blasphemous statement by a Christian woman about the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.[5]

In December 2006 he transferred his allegiance to the People's Democratic Party (PDP).[6]

Senator

In April 2007, he ran for the Senate as a member of the PDP and was elected for the Jigawa North West constituency. He was appointed to committees on Upstream Petroleum Resources, Sports, Navy, National Planning and National Identity Card & Population[1] As senator, a May 2009 report said he had not originated any bills, but had co-sponsored six motions. He was active in the Sports Committee where he is Vice Chairman.[7] Turaki wanted to run for reelection in April 2011, but the PDP favored Danladi Abdullahi Sankara, PDP vice chairman in charge of the Northwest as their candidate. Turaki therefore defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria.[8] In the April 2011 elections, Danladi was the winner. Turaki declared that there had been vote-rigging and he intended to take the case to court.[9]

Alleged financial irregularities

In June 2003 Ibrahim Turaki said Jigawa had entered into agreements with American companies to start processing and exporting high-grade gum arabic to the United States, replacing imports from the Sudan.[10] An article in the Los Angeles Times on 2 March 2004 described an arrangement with Rosa Whitaker, a US Trade Representative for Africa, with whom he formed a Trade and Investment Foundation for Africa to attract Foreign Direct Investment for gum arabic production.[11][12]

In 2004 the Niger Republic, which was due to host a summit of Francophone countries in Niamey gave Wallong Camco Nigeria, a company in which Turaki had an interest, free land in exchange for building 86 housing units to accommodate visiting foreign dignitaries. In November 2008 Turaki was involved in a dispute over contract terms for sale of these units.[13]

A 2006 report said he was involved in acquiring companies in Nigeria’s insurance industry for president Olusegun Obasanjo.[14]

In July 2007 the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Saminu Turaki over allegations of corruption and money laundering.[15] Turaki faced a 32-count charge of money laundering, and was said to have laundered about N36 billion of public funds into private accounts.[16] He was released on bail with stringent conditions.[17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sen. Ibrahim S. Turaki". National Assembly of Nigeria. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  2. ↑ "Saminu Turaki's Weird Kites". ChatAfrik. 06/1/2008. Retrieved 2009-10-04. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ↑ "Lamido: Great expectations, many problems". The Source Magazine. June 18, 2007. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  4. ↑ "Nigerian court sentences lovers to death". Sant'Egidio. August 29, 2002. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  5. ↑ Gilbert da Costa (21 September 2006). "Angry Muslims Burn Churches in Nigeria". Voice of America. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  6. ↑ "Nigeria Politics & Security" (PDF). Menas. 29 December 2006. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  7. ↑ "An Improved Senate, But Some Uninspiring Senators...". This Day. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  8. ↑ Adamu Amadu (18 May 2011). "Lamido/Turaki: From politics to court". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 2011-06-17.
  9. ↑ TED ODOGWU (26 April 2011). "Allegation of rigging against me frivolous, says Senator-elect". Nigerian Compass. Retrieved 2011-06-17.
  10. ↑ "Nigeria, US sign gum arabic export agreement". Xinhua News Agency Article. June 13, 2003. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  11. ↑ "TURAKI WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW JIGAWA". Nigeriaworld. July 24, 2007. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  12. ↑ Ken Silverstein (March 2, 2004). "Connections Work for Ex-Trade Official". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  13. ↑ "Senator Turaki Faces Legal Action in Niger Republic - Over 86 Housing Units". Daily Trust. 16 November 2008. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  14. ↑ Jonathan Elendu (20 October 2006). "Obasanjo and the Nigerian Insurance Industry". Elendu Reports. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  15. ↑ "Orji Uzor Kalu, Saminu Turaki Arrested by EFCC". My Naija News. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  16. ↑ "Kalu, Turaki know fate June 12, 19". Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. 5 June 2008. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  17. ↑ Josephine Lohor (08.07.2007). "FG: EFCC can't prosecute •AG assumes constitutional powers •Falana, Gani disagree". This Day. Retrieved 2009-10-04. Check date values in: |date= (help)
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