A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Alhaji Salisu Ahmed Barau, has advised the state governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, to stop chasing shadows and concentrate efforts on fulfilling the pledges and promises he made to the citizens of the state.
Barau gave the advice while reacting to Governor Mohammed’s statement while interacting with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward leaders in Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state last weekend that the people of the state should not vote a non-indigene as governor.
The chieftain of the opposition APC in the state, who is the chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the Sadiq Baba Abubakar Campaign Organisation, said the governor ought to concentrate on providing the much-needed dividends of democracy to the people.
He alleged that the governor is threatened with the decision by the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar (rtd) to contest the governorship election in Bauchi State.
In his words, “Rather than chasing shadows, he (Governor Mohammed) should focus more on pledges and promises he made and which he could fulfill.
“It is not surprising to see somebody who is about to drown in a river. If you give him a knife, he will hold it.
“My principal, Sadiq Baba Abubakar, is his nightmare and a threat politically in the state.”
While expressing surprise that Governor Mohammed called indirectly referred to some governorship aspirants as non-indigenes of the state, Barau said what happened in the state in 2003 when a former governor of the state, Malam Isa Yuguda, emerged governor despite the opposition from the then incumbent governor Ahmadu Adamu Mua’zu was about to happen again.
“In as much as politics is concerned, I am disappointed with my elder brother, the governor who has PDP background and has knowledge of the same scenario that played out in 2003 or so.
“When Isa Yuguda was vying for governorship, the then incumbent governor Ahmadu Mua’zu, also my elder brother, humiliated Yuguda and refused him form to contest. The Malam went to another party and won the election.
“So as a governor of the state, looking at his traditional background one will be surprised to hear him say this.
“He should talk with decorum and should be accommodating. He is supposed to be the father of all, especially as the governor coming from the house, he is supposed to be accommodating, a symbol of unity and cohesion,” he said.
He then urged people of the state to go through the profile of those aspiring to be the state’s next governor in 2023 with a view to seeing if they are not indigenes of the state or not.
“Look at the calibre of the people like Babayo Talban Katagum, Faruq Umar, all from Katagum, Yusuf Tuggar, who was a one-time House of Representatives member and now an ambassador.
“Take a look at my principal, AVM Sadiq Baba Abubakar, who rose through the ranks to become a three-star general and Chief of Air Staff, now an ambassador. Would you look at these people and say they are not indigenes?”
He then expressed optimism that the APC in the state would wrestle power from PDP and called his party faithful and supporters to remain calm and continue to be law abiding.
