Alhaji Abubakar Kwaire, a Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 general elections in the state.
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Kwaire, according to a statement by Bashar Abubakar, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC –Sokoto North) was received by the state APC governorship candidate, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu in Sokoto
Abubakar said the new APC member, who was a former member of the State House of Assembly hailed from Tambuwal Local Government.
He quoted Kwaire saying that his decision to join APC was motivated by Wamakko’s sterling leadership qualities.
“Therefore, I believe with Wamakko as APC leader and Aliyu to govern our state, if elected, more dividends of democracy are expected,“ he said.
Kwaire restated his commitment to support all the candidates of the party to coast to victory for the best of Sokoto State and Nigeria.
In his remarks, the governorship candidate welcomed the defector and assured him of equal treatment like all other members of the party.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila over their “failure to cut the unlawful National Assembly budget of N228.1bn, including the N30.17bn severance payments and inauguration costs for members.”
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The suit followed the move by the National Assembly to increase its 2023 budget from N169bn proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari to N228.1bn. The approved budget shows an increase of about N59.1bn. The country’s budget of N21.83tn is based on a N10.49tn revenue, and N11.34tn deficit.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/152/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Dr Lawan and Mr Gbajabiamila to review and reduce the budget of N228.1bn the leadership and members of the National Assembly allocated for their own benefit.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order restraining and stopping Ms Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning from releasing to the National Assembly the budget of N228.1bn, until an impact assessment of the spending on access to public goods and services and the country’s debt crisis, is carried out.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order restraining and stopping Dr Lawan and Mr Gbajabiamila from demanding or collecting the National Assembly budget of N228.1bn, until an impact assessment of the spending on access to public goods and services and the country’s debt crisis, is carried out.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “It is a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for the members of the National Assembly to increase their own budget at a time when some 133 million Nigerians are living in poverty.”
According to SERAP: “The National Assembly budget of N228.1bn is higher than the statutory transfer to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which is N103.3bn.”
SERAP is arguing that, “The increase is unreasonable, as it would substantially increase the cost of governance, and exacerbate the country’s debt crisis. It is unlawful, and unfair to the Nigerian people.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Cutting the National Assembly budget would reduce the growing budget deficit, address the unsustainable debt burden, and serve the public interest.”
SERAP is arguing that, “by increasing its own budget, the National Assembly has unjustifiably and disproportionately reduced the budget for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).”
SERAP is also arguing that, “This is a travesty, especially given that Nigeria currently has over 20 million out-of-school children, and half of all poor people in the country are children.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Atinuke Adejuyigbe, read in part: “The budget should reflect national development priorities, and not serve as a tool to satisfy the lifestyle of lawmakers or provide them with severance payments or parting gifts.”
“Rather than exercising its oversight functions to check the persistent borrowing by President Muhammadu Buhari, and scrutinising the apparently unlawful overdrafts and loans obtained by the Federal Government from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Assembly is increasing its own budget.”
“The increase in the National Assembly budget, including the unnecessary proposed spending of N30.17bn on ‘severance payments’ and ‘inauguration expenses’ is a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
“It is unjustifiable and unreasonable for the National Assembly to arbitrarily increase its own budget when the Federal Government and many of the 36 states are clearly in debt distress or at high risk of debt distress.”
“The National Assembly budget of N228.1bn would increase the country’s borrowing and debt crisis. Growing debt burdens and debt repayment difficulties will have negative impacts on the ability of poor and vulnerable Nigerians to enjoy basic socio-economic rights.”
“Long-term unsustainable debt can be a barrier to the government’s ability to mobilize resources for human rights, and may lead to taxes and user fees that impact negatively on poor and vulnerable Nigerians.”
“The leadership and members of the National Assembly ought to properly discharge their constitutional and fiduciary duties to Nigerians by ensuring judicious spending of public funds, especially given the current economic and financial realities of Nigeria.”
“Nigerians have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers, as public officials owe a fiduciary duty to the general citizenry. All those who hold the strings of political power and power over spending of Nigeria’s commonwealth ought not to use their entrusted position for personal gain.”
“Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] provides that, ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
“Under Section 16(1)(a)(b), the National Assembly has the obligations to ‘harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy’, and to ‘secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen.’”
“Section 81 of the Nigerian Constitution makes clear that it is the constitutional responsibility of the President to prepare and present estimates of the revenues and expenditure of the country before the National Assembly and not for the lawmakers to unilaterally and arbitrarily allocate public funds to themselves.”
“Nigeria has also ratified the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which recognize legally enforceable economic and social rights, such as the rights to education, health, safe food and clean water, security, and shelter.”
“Section 51 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act provides that, ‘a person shall have legal capacity to enforce the provision of this Act by obtaining prerogative orders or other remedies at the Federal High Court, without having to show any special particular interest.’”
Joined in the suit as Defendants are President Muhammadu Buhari; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN; and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
There was drama on Saturday when a former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu, was harassed and molested by the Ebubeagu militia set up by Governor David Umahi.
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Egwu was said to be on his way to Ebonyi Local Government for a rally.
Trouble started when the former governor’s convoy ran into a blockade mounted by the militia.
Narrating his ordeal, Egwu told journalists said he was shocked at the brazen show of intimidation by the thugs who adamantly blocked their way.
He said, “The instructions we were told is that opposition are not allowed to use public facilities for any thing political. So we have resorted to using privately facilities. Yet, even that is not saving us from the wrath of the government. Today, my convoy was waylaid and the police who came practically stood there to supervise what was happening.
“The police didn’t intervene but rather watched on almost in a state of helplessness. This is wrong. The nation’s police shouldn’t be subservient to a militia organization. It is indecent in a democracy. What is happening in Ebonyi must attract public condemnation.
“We are now at a point where attacks, killings and arbitrary arrests have become the order of the day.”
Egwu, who is currently a Senator, said that unless something drastic was done, Ebonyi state may be engulfed in crisis due to the hard stance of the governor and the activities of his militia.
He said, “We worked for this Governor (Umahi) to get to where he is. We didn’t stop him from using public facilities. He was roundly supported. Why can’t he extend the same courtesy to the current seekers of office?”
Egwu also called on the police to rise to the occasion and be professional in their duties as the elections are around the corner.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association has called for the sacking of Ebonyi state Commissioner of police, accusing him of compromising his office.
Bauchi State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has called on the people of Dass local government area of the state to vote for candidates under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party in the forthcoming general elections, saying the opposition is broken beyond repair.
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Mohammed was speaking at the PDP campaign rally in Dass where he said the PDP candidates will compliment the efforts of his administration in executing people’s oriented projects.
Governor Bala appreciated the people of Dass for their support to his administration, saying he will continue to work round the clock to implement the developmental projects hence the need for all and sundry to support his reelection bid for better service delivery.
While welcoming about 15000 decampees from the APC and NNPP to the ruling party, Mohammed urged them to work towards the total victory of PDP against opposition parties.
On his part, the state PDP Chairman, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam called on stakeholders of the local government to remain focus and develop a campaign strategy for PDP’s victory.
A leading support group of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC Mandate Defenders (AMD) has denied claims made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Barrister Boss Mustapha CFR, alleging that he is working against the presidential candidate of the party, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming Presidential Election.
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Reacting to allegations made against the SGF by a lesser group known as Concerned APC Stakeholders (CAS), the national publicity secretary of APC Mandate Defenders, Mr. Ifeanyi Emeka said, Boss Mustapha is a well respected party leader who has great respect and close relationship with Senator Tinubu right from when he was the Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for Northern Region and would not engage in any real or imaginary plot to sabotage the electoral chances of the APC and Senator Bola Tinubu.
Besides, the SGF is preoccupied with the task of meeting the demands of the transitional period which mostly rests on his office as a frontline secretariat for the presidency as the administration gradually winds down.
AMD urge the blackmailer-group to tell Nigerians how following due process in board appointments for Federal Government agencies amounts to sabotaging the electoral chances of our great party and Senator Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential election?
Accordingly, concerned APC Stakeholders should be told in clear terms that the Office of the SGF is not a presidential secretariat that authenticate frauds committed by influence-peddlers who specializes in duping people in the name of facilitating government appointments and contracts for them.
It will be recalled that the SGF had advised Nigerians to be wary of scammers who use his name and office to dupe people while promising them non-existing government appointments.
Therefore, we urge Nigerians and party members across the federation to ignore the allegation against Boss Mustapha as he cannot be forced into providing appointments to people by threats of blackmails as such responsibility rests squarely on the desk of Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief.
Associating such frustration with the campaigns of the presidential candidate of our great party, Senator Bola Tinubu by CAS is a diversionary tactics that is against the overall interest of our party and Nigeria as a nation.
An authority in Doma Local Government and concerned indigents of Doma Local Government has opened a can of worms surrounding a press statement released by the Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Police concerning the rescued four Primary school pupils of Local Government Education Authority in Al-waza community of Doma Local Government. The pupils were brought to the Authority by a team of Fulani herdsmen not police.
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An impeccable source who pleaded anonymity from the community confirmed that Fulani herdsman brought the pupils to vigilante in Doka community of Doma Local Government.
The first escaped primary school pupils including the remaining 4 that escaped on Thursday night with Nasarawa State Governor Engineer Abdullah Sule at the Government House
“I called you Journalist to inform you of the escaped of four of our children who are in captivity for two weeks, and I want you to know that police have no hands in the rescue of the pupils who are presently at the Dalhatu Araf Specialists Hospital, Lafia with the Council Chairman.”
According to gathered information, four out of the six abducted school pupils in Al-waza community of Nasarawa State escaped from the hands of their abductors through Doka forest in the late hours of Thursday night.
The escaped pupils were brought to the community by a concerned Fulani herder.
The names of the escaped pupils are – Dominion Alhaji, Success Emmanuel, Awazi Emmanuel and Success Ogah.
The executive Chairman of Doma Local Government Arc. Ahmed Usman Sarki thanked God for rescuing the pupils alive. He hinted that no compensation was paid to the kidnappers. He recalled that the six school pupils in Al-waza community were kidnapped two weeks ago.
The pupils have since been reunited with their families in Al-waza community of Doma Local Government.
Before the current redesigning of the naira, the currency has been redesigned four times and on each occasion a reason was given and the process was smooth. Late last year the Buhari administration embarked on redesigning the 1000, 500 and 200 naira and gave an initial deadline of January 31 for the old notes to cease to be legal tender.
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The outcry that greeted that announcement prompted an extension of ten days to Feb 10
Reports coming from different parts of the country show the difficulty, Nigerians encounter before they can withdraw their money . The media have been inundated with reports crowded banks as people jostle to get cash. Some angry and frustrated ones have stripped naked to protest their inability to get money while some banks have been attacked
Accusations and counter accusations have been the order of the day with some APC leaders blaming the party for the poor handling of the exercise.
Reacting to this A Senior lecturer with the university of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo Imo state Dr Desmond Echeta says the policy is part of the Mandate of the Central Bank of Nigeria based on the act of Parliament
According to him part of the reason for redesigning the naira is to see that illicit transactions are curtailed
The University don however expressed Concern over the Inability of the Apex bank to put in place measures to mitigate the sufferings Nigerians are currently going through in banks
On the appeal by President Buhari to Nigerians to give him Seven days to arrive at a solution to the crisis, Echeta says if after seven days, there is another extension then the purpose of the exercise will be defected
He says the inconveniences Nigerians are currently going through is a sacrifice they must pay to reset the country’s economy.
There are six days left before the CBN deadline elapse and if the words of Mr President are anything to go by , there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
One of these three leading candidates – Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), or Labour Party’s Peter Obi – would win this year’s presidential election either in the first round or the runoff. This is due to the discernable strength of their parties, national support, and popularity. Other candidates are mere paperweights and have no chance.
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The unique aspect of this presidential lineup is that these candidates not only represent their political parties but also the main geo-political zones and the three major ethnic nationalities. This presidential election, therefore, appears to exacerbate Nigeria’s natural fault lines and reveal underlying tensions that are typically hidden in daily interactions among Nigerians.
As with Nigerian presidential elections and the governments that rise from them, there are some subtle historical patterns that if one is sufficiently perceptive can discern and then project the socio-political impact of the potential presidency of each of the leading candidates – how the country, in particular people of the different geo-political zones, would respond to the change of presidential personnel.
In Nigeria, attitudes and opinions about the country tend to shift depending on the President at that particular time – his ethnicity, political party, and religion. A bitter critic, who is quick to point out the many things wrong with the country would suddenly mellow, and become more sympathetic to it and call for a collective action to tackle its ills, ”since the government cannot do it all.” Or throw platitudes such as “may God bless Nigeria.” This would be because a fellow partisan or someone from his ethnic group or region is now in charge. Or the government is somehow beneficial to him. Nigerians tend to tolerate government failings and bad behavior when their ‘own’ is in power.
With President Buhari reaching the two terms limits, there will be a change of residency in the presidency in May, and one of the leading candidates will fill the vacancy. Here is a forecast of the kind of presidency they would run and how Nigerians would likely take to it.
Peter Obi
The candidate of the Labour Party, Obi is the ranked outsider of the three major candidates. Until recently a member of the PDP, he left the main opposition group because his chances of muscling his way to its presidential ticket were closer to zero than one. Obi is currently leading the LP’s ticket and has so far run an amazing campaign, energizing a national base of mostly young supporters with his charisma and oratory. Were Nigeria a more mature democracy where factors such as ethnicity and corruption rarely matter in elections, he would probably have been a shoo-in for the presidency.
An Obi presidency would be the most radical of the three candidates. He has campaigned based on stopping the national gluttony that governance in Nigeria is based on and to which the political elite is accustomed. Notorious for being Mr. Stingy, Obi’s informal campaign theme is ‘moving Nigeria from a consuming nation to a productive one.’
He would face serious difficulty achieving his agenda. His party would be a minority in the National Assembly and control no state government. It would therefore be very difficult for President Obi to lobby legislators to back his economic or political agenda. Successive Nigerian governments have turned a blind eye to the corruption in the National Assembly as it loads the federal budget with pork, otherwise called ‘budget padding.’ Would Obi try to stop this, or turn a blind eye? If he doesn’t, he would be no different from the past governments he has stridently called out and would be a disappointment to his numerous (idealistic) supporters who want change. But if he does, he would be engaging in a titanic battle with the legislators, a fight he is unlikely to win and result in his impeachment.
Whether he succeeds or not with his economic and political agenda, however; one area Obi would make a serious impact is moral leadership. Almost ascetic, Obi seems to be the antithesis of the Nigerian political leader and not interested in the gluttonous acquisition of wealth. He is also very knowledgeable and articulate and so can inspire a new generation of Nigerians to do things differently. He would be the dream President for the liberal-educated, tech-savvy, and westernized young people, especially, of the south.
He would, however, be inheriting a Nigeria that is in bad shape – economically, politically, and socially. And since he has overpromised as politicians tend to do in campaigns, there would be pressure for him to deliver quickly. Yet there is no magic wand to solve all of Nigeria’s ills that took years in the making. This is where the cultural pattern and attitude of Nigerians about their government would kick in.
Lately, the southeast has been the most vocal region where the anti-Nigeria rhetoric is loudest. The growing call is for the breakup of the country and for the southeast to become the independent state of Biafra. This cry became more strident after President Muhammadu Buhari became President in 2015. Even though the fight for Biafra resurged during the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidency, it was a whimper during the Goodluck Jonathan years. Although an Ijaw from the south-south, Jonathan received most of his enthusiastic support from among the southeast Igbo people who held some of the most important jobs in his government. At that time, there was little complaint from them about the uneven structure of the Nigerian state and the failings of the government.
But immediately after Buhari came to power, a low-key independence revolt broke out in the southeast, possibly, fueled by the insensitive rhetoric of the President and the lack of inclusion in his government. If Obi were to win, the Jonathan effect may likely occur in the region and the strident cries for Biafra would become almost a whisper.
Although there may still be agitation for the erstwhile breakaway republic, it wouldn’t be anything close to what it is today as the people would have that psychological satisfaction of ‘their own’ being in power and of finally being fully integrated into the Nigerian state after the civil war.
The inverse is likely to occur in the North, as it would possibly experience more agitations in an Obi presidency. By every index, the north is the poorest region of Nigeria, plagued by serious issues of multidimensional poverty, hunger, insecurity, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and out-of-school children. Even though in the eight years of the Buhari Presidency, he has barely made a dent in these challenges, there have not been coherent actions by the northern elite to hold the President to account. The consensus seems to be that his home base should support him, regardless. So, it has been smooth sailing for the President, who may be leaving the north as well as other regions of the country worse than he met them as socioeconomic indicators show.
It would, however, not be an easy ride for ‘President Obi’ in the North. With his presidency, all the development issues that have been swept under the carpet would be brought out for the attention of the president and there would be demand on him to fix them, or … Also, his presidency may invariably provide cannon fodder for Islamic extremist groups who could point to his leadership as aberrant for the Ummah to be led by a non-Muslim and so worsen the Islamist insurgency in some parts of the north.
In all, Obi’s presidency would be a difficult one buffeted by challenges from all corners – from legislative to the difficulty of forming an inclusive national government from the limited platform that LP is – and pressures to deliver on his vast and somewhat unrealistic campaign promises. However, the perception of the performance of the government would be based largely on partisan and ethnoreligious factors as is typical of Nigerians.
With twenty-one [21] days to the presidential election day of February 25, 2023, the tension within the eighteen [18] presidential campaign teams vying for the presidential seat appears to tighten as the candidates find themselves grappling with the reality of unknown outcome of what will unfold on election day. Some of the presidential candidate have reached the resolution of what their fate will likely be while some other candidates remain uncertain as to their fate. Information available to 247ureports.com obtained from competent sources indicate the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], Alhaji Abubakar Atiku appears unresolved and latently unhappy with the management of his presidential campaign and its outcome thus far.
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Internal polling and assessment of the PDP’s chances at the presidential polls conducted by a private firm hired by the PDP presidential candidate revealed that the PDP chances has reduced and continue to reduce with each passing week. The assessment showed the Atiku campaign have not been able to make the required headway into States and regions it needs to score victories in order to have a clear pathway to victory.
The emergence of Peter Obi and the Labor party into the presidential fray “caught them off-guard” and the Atiku campaign have not been able to readjust their campaign to correct for the Peter Obi factor. Geopolitical regions of the South East, South South and North Central which have historically voted overwhelmingly for Atiku Abubakar and the PDP party appears to be leaning away from the PDP and heavily towards the Labor party.
247ureports.com is aware of efforts made by the Atiku campaign to correct for the Peter Obi and Labor party intrusion. The campaign handlers were given instructions to use politicians of South East extraction particularly Anambra State to “speak” on Peter Obi – to dissuade the communities of the aforementioned geopolitical regions from going along with the Labor party presidential candidates. Major airtime buys in the media and media appearances by PDP stalwarts were booked and used to disparage Peter Obi’s chances at the polls and also discourage Peter Obi’s followers into believing that Peter Obi’s chances of victory was slim – and thus a vote for him would translate to a wasted vote.
Many of the lieutenants of the Atiku presidential campaign took to the media airwaves with a rebranding message to re-brand Peter Obi in the eyes of the voters. The likes of Chief Arthur Eze – a billionaire from Anambra State – and others spoke brazenly of the need for the south east to know that a vote for Peter Obi was a wasted vote. Amongst the lieutenants was one-time Minster of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka. He has made many appearances both on campaign rallies and on television channels to spread the talking point of rebranding Peter Obi.
Rather than having the expected effect within the targeted communities, the reverse appeared to have taken effect. It resulted in the entrenchment of their believe in the Labor presidential candidate – and a resentment of the purveyors of the rebrand Peter Obi message. Recently, followers of the Anambra billionaire, Chief Arthur Eze returned all the campaign materials of Atiku Abubakar and dumped them at the front of his country home in Anambra State. They also set the items on fire.
See video of the items being set on fire below:
Video: Atiku supporters burning their campaign caps at the residence of Arthur Eze in Enugu.
These reactions and/or rejections have, in turn, resulted frustration to the Atiku campaign and to the presidential candidate. This is as a source who claims to have knowledge of the inner workings of campaign claims the presidential candidate has grown increasingly discontent within the direction of the campaign. “Atiku is not pleased with the campaign so far. He believes that Peter Obi should have not been allowed to eat into his campaign this much”.
Exacerbating matters for Atiku are the lieutenants within the PDP presidential team who have refused to join the campaign against Peter Obi. Many of the PDP stalwarts from the south east geopolitical zone who are working to materialize the PDP quest for the presidency, have been reluctance to join the train to rebrand Peter Obi. The likes of Senator Uche Ekwunife who is the senator representing the Anambra central district under the PDP banner have turned around her support from Atiku Abubakar to Peter Obi. She had initially made public pronouncements of her support for the PDP presidential candidate while denouncing the presidential candidate of the Labor party as inexperienced – and thus not ready.
Internal wrangling within the party continues to rattle the cohesiveness of the presidential campaign amidst the already tough grind. This adds another dimension to the diminishing returns.
Recent revelation by sources indicate the five governors [G-5] of the PDP led by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who had initially stepped away from supporting the PDP presidential candidate is said to have expanded their radius of influence significantly to areas beyond what was previously thought by political experts. Other elected PDP officials including other stalwarts of the PDP have silently joined the crusade against Atiku Abubakar. The identities of the PDP turncoats are not readily available but our source confirms the number to be upwards of eight [8].
Meanwhile, Atiku is reported to have called upon his lieutenants to double their efforts to turn the tide especially following the public outcry from Governor Nasiru El Rufai claiming Abubakar Atiku was working in tandem with elements in the presidential villa to undermine the chances of the APC. To Atiku, El Rufai’s outcry was similar to that of a whistle blower. It may have unraveled the plans being hatched by the elements in the villa.
Claims by politicians in the know are that indeed elements within the presidential villa have been collaborating with the PDP presidential candidate more than the public would imagine. A source points to the Central Bank’s recent monetary policy toward cash control and naira redesign as hatched by the same elements in the villa allegedly to checkmate the APC presidential candidate from engaging in vote buying on election day. “They sold the idea to Buhari and he bought it”.
Garba Shehu, Special assistant on media to the president
It is worthy of note that the senior special assistant on media matters to President Buhari remains a diehard loyalist of Abubakar Atiku.
The re-election bid of Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State received a massive boost ahead of the general election as no fewer than 5060 supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) decamped to history ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
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Addressing a mammoth crowd during the rally in Bununu, the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area on Friday, leader of the APC decampees, Mal Abdullahi Bafala, said they made the decision to move to the PDP because of the massive infrastructural development recorded under the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed in less than three years.
“I left APC to join PDP with 5060 followers. What impressed me was the good work of the governor. He is working for the people of Bauchi State and not for his pocket,” Bafala said.
“I cried with joy when l saw the work he did on the Tafawa Balewa road to Yelwa Duguri, 52 kilometres road. It was a virgin land and the people of the area suffered for a long time because of the terrible road. Now we are smiling because of that road. We are praying to God that he would be re-elected to construct more roads linking the grassroots areas to Tafawa Balewa and beyond”
Receiving the decampees in Bununu, Governor Mohammed said they.made the right choice considering the fact that the APC is becoming more unpopular in Nigeria.
Governor Mohammed assured that the decampees would be carried along and urged the people of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area to support the PDP from top to bottom in the forthcoming general election as it would offer them better leadership than the APC.
Addressing supporters earlier in Tafawa Balewa, the governor pledged to provide a new transformer to the people of the area in two weeks saying he was shocked to learn they have not had electricity for months.
Governor Mohammed also promised to construct more roads in Tafawa Balewa that would link communities in the state with neighboring Plateau State to boost socio-economic activities and improve the standard of living if re-elected.
He hoped the people of Tafawa Balewa would not allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to record another inconclusive election in Tafawa Balewa like was experienced.in 2019 which almost led to breakdown of law.
Governor Mohammed called on citizens of the state to put the state’s interest above personal aspirations for the growth development of Nigeria’s democracy.
He warned that marauders would not be given the opportunity to take the leadership affairs, adding that candidates on the platform of the PDP in all level are not blindfolded hence the need for to voters to vote for them in the forthcoming election.
He stated that despite the economic challenges caused by the Covid-19, his administration provided curative measures in addition to numerous interventions in education, healthcare, agriculture among others.
He applauded the tremendous support of traditional rulers in the state for his administration, urging t them to replicate and intensify efforts for a better society.
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