Kannywood stars, Ummi ZeeZee and Zaharaddeen Sani, have called themselves out over an alleged monetary gift from the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Representatives of the former vice president, led by Senate President Bukola Saraki, met with Hausa-language film stars in Kaduna on January 26.
Accusing organisers of the event of cheating her out of her share of the money allegedly shared, Ummi said she was too big to be taken for granted.
The controversial actress went as far as labelling her colleagues Sani Danja, Zaharadden Sani, Fati Mohammed, Al’amin Buhari, and Imranaa Mohammed as thieves in an Instagram post.
“I understand Atiku sent plenty of money to share for us. But all of you thieves walked away with the money and shared it among yourselves. Let me tell you, if not for my mother who begged me not to jail you all, I would have done that because you all don’t have the connection I have in Nigeria.
“Zaharaddeen Sani called me after the event and send N25,000 to me as my share. Let me tell you Zaharaddeen, I am not a beggar and I am more than that amount you sent to me, you cheat. I want to warn you all that should anything like this happen again and you keep me off it, I will deal with you and I mean all of you,” she said.
The former girlfriend of equally controversial singer Timaya added: I’ll lock you up at DSS (Department of State Service) and will not leave you until you pay my money.”
Responding in an interview with premiumtimesng.com, Zaharaddeen described Ummi as a noisemaker with a dying career.
He added that she was never part of the Atiku movement in Kannywood and that he has reported her to the police.
“The event was organised by five of us key in the Atiku movement and the PDP candidate sent in a representative in the person of Bukola Saraki. He attended the event and we told him what we had been doing for the success of the party and the presidential candidate in the ways we promote him and campaign for him among our fans and colleagues. It was a successful event.
“I met Ummi ZeeZee at the entrance of the venue and we greeted. I told her I was going back to my hotel room and I left.
“She later called me and said she heard that we were given money to share. I smiled and said ‘what do you want? You are not part of this event because you have never been part of it. We did our thing so what do you want?’ She said I should send her something. She sent her brother and I gave her N25,000. I told her it is not from any event. This is from me,” Zaharaddeen said.
Kannywood filmmakers are sharply divided over their support for President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the February 16 presidential election.
Those supporting Buhari have pitched tent under the All Progressives Congress (APC) Northern Musicians Forum (ANMFO), while those supporting Atiku have created a group under the aegis of Kannywood Initiative Door-2-Door for Atiku 2019.
Some of those campaigning for Atiku include Usman Mu’azu, Salisu Mu’azu, Mikail Bin Hassan, Al’amin Buhari, Sani Danja, Isah Feroz Khan, Bashir Nayaya, Maryam Booth, Fati Muhammad, Yakubu Mohammed, Zaharaddeen Sani and Ummi ZeeZee.
Those supporting Buhari include Ali Nuhu, Sadik Sani, Maryam Booth, Rukayya Dawayya, Adam A. Zango, Nura Hussaini, Yusuf Haruna, Jamila Nagudu, Halima Atete and Bello Muhammad Bello.
Down south, some Nollywood guild heads were recently accused of secretly collecting N250,000 each after a meeting with Atiku in Lagos without informing members of their associations.
