BAUCHI State governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, on Tuesday, made a U-turn
on his earlier decision to withdraw his membership of the Northern
States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) as a result of the crisis that trailed
the recent chairmanship election of theNigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF),
saying that he considered the appeals of Northern elders in order give
fair representation to the region.
Speaking with journalists through the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Yusuf
Musa Gumli, at Government House, Bauchi, Governor Yuguda stated that he
initially took the decision to withdraw from the NSGF as a result of the
injustice perpetrated during the last NGF election, in which the Rivers
State governor, Honourable Rotimi Ameachi, was re-elected, as against
the governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, who was earlier adopted by
NSGF.
Yuguda added that he realised that there was no fair play within the
forum when Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State conducted an open
vote, which he said was not a fair deal.
“It is very disappointing that the political trend as it recently
relates to the Northern States Governors’ Forum in its bid to elect a
leader ended up in a tussle among the governors and it is a minus on
their part.
“Before the election, the Northern States Governors’ Forum decided
that Governors Shettima and Yuguda should step down in favour of
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who happened to be the consensus
candidate, but instead of sticking to the plan, the governor of Niger
State, Aliyu Babangida compromised our position on the agreed
candidate,” he said.
Noting that the unity of the Northern States Governors’ Forum was at
stake, Governor Yuguda said that he felt he could no longer be part of
the group, saying that this informed his earlier position to withdraw
from the forum.
He stated that with the intervention of elders from the region, he
decided to let go off his initial stance and was returning to the forum.
According to the Bauchi State helmsman, “I, however, decided to mend
fences by letting go of the past and return back to the forum. Secondly,
I have decided to heed the appeals from concerned elders in the North
who want me to eschew sentiments and give fair representation to the
North in the forum.
“As an obedient son, I have accepted their appeals and gone back to
the forum. I have never taken sides with Jonah Jang, I was only working
under the instruction of the NSGF so that Plateau State will be the
centre of the North,where there is fair representation,” he said.
Speaking on his ambition after leaving office in 2015 as Bauchi State
governor, Yuguda averred that there was nothing wrong for him to aspire
for the post of the President, Vice-President or even the Governor of
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“There is nothing wrong for one to aspire for any position in the
country so long as due process and legitimacy is followed,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the governor has dismissed allegations doing the round in
the media that the Bauchi State government was instigating the crises in
neighbouring Plateau State, submitting that it was wrong for the
Plateau State government to hold Bauchi State responsible for itsfailure
to address security challenges in its state.
He stated that Bauchi State had its own security challenges, which it
never attributed to any state but was doing every thing within its
limit tpo tackle them with a view to having a peaceful state and
pursuing its developmental agenda.
“Bauchi State also faces its own insecurity problems and have never
attributed blame to anybody. For instance, the state has been battling
with the issue of Tafawa Balewa crisis for years and have step up to the
challenge.
“If the state government is to make excuse for its failures, we will
still be having crisis in the state and that why is until today, people
can run to Bauchi State and find safety because the state accommodates
everybody irrespective of tribe, ethnic and religion,” Governor Yuguda
said.
Source: Tribune
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