A former close associate of ex-Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Barrister Maigida Yakubu, has launched a scathing attack on the former lawmaker, labelling him “a master manipulator who has exchanged honour for deceit, unity for division, and trust for betrayal.”

Maigida accused Dogara of pushing the Zaar (Sayawa) community toward division and unrest.

In an eleven-page open letter titled “Behind the Curtain of Deceit: Unmasking the Architect of the Zaar Identity Crisis and Division,” Maigida criticised Dogara’s acceptance of a political appointment from the same government he vehemently opposed during the 2023 elections, calling it an act of hypocrisy. He noted that Dogara, who publicly rejected the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket during the presidential race while presenting himself as a moral compass, later lobbied the same party for political appointments behind closed doors.

“Your trademark deceit and repeated blunders have finally caught up with you. If there were awards for political self-sabotage, you would top the list. You portrayed yourself as a hero opposing the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, acting as if you were a moral leader, yet for the past two years, you have shamelessly pursued the same people for political favours,” Maigida wrote.

He further ridiculed Dogara for allegedly staging a fake Christian protest, primarily using people from the Middle Belt, to support his political narrative, accusing him of acting only when it benefits his personal ambitions.

Maigida claimed that the Tinubu administration only offered Dogara a minor appointment to neutralise his political noise rather than out of respect.

“The government knows who you are, which is why they handed you a minor chairmanship position—not as a mark of honour, but to silence you. These days, you wander around political offices like a desperate fly, seeking attention,” Maigida stated.

He accused Dogara of exploiting and dividing his people, particularly the youth, for personal gain while failing to empower anyone during his time in office. “Can any Basayi son or daughter genuinely say they were empowered during your tenure as Representative and Speaker?” he questioned.

Maigida further alleged that Dogara is better known for acquiring properties and building estates with funds allegedly obtained through questionable means while in the National Assembly, adding that “padding” remains the most notable legacy from Dogara’s time in the 8th Assembly.

“In truth, the issue of padding will always follow your name like a shadow,” Maigida concluded.