Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has declared that he would give his unflinching support to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to win the presidential election in 2023.
This is despite his refusal to step down
for Atiku during the last party primary. Governor Bala Mohammed was among those
who contested the presidential primary election of the PDP.
While Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, stepped down
for Abubakar a few hours to the primary election and asked his supporters to
vote for him, Mohammed on his part, did not step down but went into the contest
and came out the fourth with only 20 votes.
Speaking on Monday at the Executives Chamber of the
Government House, Bauchi, while inaugurating a Reconciliatory Committee
mandated to meet and reconcile aggrieved individuals within the party, the
governor said that though he failed to get the ticket of the party, he was,
however, victorious having made history as the first person in the state to
contest the presidency after the death of Nigeria’s first and only Prime
Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
“I am receiving today, the executives of the party who are
here on a congratulatory visit over the dual success that I recorded. Since the
demise of the late Prime Minister, nobody from Bauchi State ever came out to
contest for the office of the President except me; with that, I have made
history and that in itself is a victory for me. We have taken it to be God’s
making and we have accepted it in good faith, he gives power and he takes it
away. The campaigns we did for the presidential ticket, we did it with God’s
permission and to us, we were victorious.
“I really cherish that position in recognition of the
support that you gave me over the period. The support has been mixed, many
people didn’t want me to go because they wanted me here (in Bauchi as governor)
and it was all out of love; others wanted me to go so that I can represent this
section of the country and the country at large because of the capacity I have
developed over the years. We know that power comes from God, and what he has
given us, we really cherish it because we are better informed and they say,
participation in politics is the best teacher that anybody can get.
“And I must also thank you for giving me yet another
opportunity to be your flag bearer as a gubernatorial candidate. This has shown
the kind of synergy, fraternity, and brotherhood that we have. There was no
dissenting voice, even the gentleman who stepped down for me, I must thank him
most sincerely, that is the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ibrahim
Kassim, for being so magnanimous.
“Of course, he had the option of saying no, it is his own
right, but it was within his own volition, I didn’t even ask him, he decided on
his own despite the doubting Thomases and treacherous and mischievous people
saying a lot of things and even playing the kite in the social media that he
was not stepping down. It was all lies and you can see what happened, I thank
him most sincerely, I will never take his love and appreciation for granted. I
must also thank the delegates for standing by me all the way,” he said.
The governor added, “You can see that losing is part of
democracy. I have lost but I have taken it in good faith. I am calling on
others who lost like me as I lost in the presidential primary to take it with
humility, to take it with a strong faith in God. There was a lot of horse-trading,
a lot of permutations, and even insults unleashed on each other, but we have to
forget all these because we have to forge ahead.
“I am firmly behind
our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and I will do everything
possible to win the presidential election. In the same token, all those who
contested in all the elections from the senatorial to the state assembly must
embrace that family approach, must embrace that approach.”
Mohammed, while stating the term of reference for the
committee, one of which is to reach out to all those who contested, those who
won and those who lost declared that there is no victory, and no vanquish,
urged them, “You must appeal to appeal to their political sensibilities and
their other side, that is, their fate, to appreciate whatever our people have
decided. The delegates decided and they are the representatives of the people,
we must appreciate and take it in good faith.
“And they will form a sub-committee to reach out to the
other side who wish to come into the party because it is a darling today, they
are welcome. You must make sure that nobody leaves the party even a single
person. We want to go together as a state and as a government, we want to make
sure we put aside all disparaging issues, issues that are based on lies, issues
that are just based on political gimmicks.”
The Committee which has four weeks to carry out its
assignment has Senator Adamu Kariya as Chairman while other members are
Abdulkadir Doguwa, Umar Ningi, Mohammed Danbaba, Bappa Disina, Abubakar Faggo
(Secretary of the Committee), Abdullahi Yari, Abdon Gin, Simon Balewa, Sanusi
Sarkin-Aska, and Abdullahi Musa.
Others are Yerima Misau, Imamu Itas, Amina Gabu, Tukur
Adamu, Zainab Rufa’i, Danbaba Rimin-Zayam, Esther Ahmed, Audu Hassan, Inuwa
Malamin Kasuwa, Sani Chinade and Salisu Garba (Assistant Secretary).
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com