13/08/2024
MATTERS ARISING IN BAUCHI STATE: OUR STAND
This is the text of the press conference by Bauchi Gari Ya Waye Group on issues of interest in Bauchi, held today, Monday, 12th August 2024 at the NUJ press conference, off Ahmadu bello way, Bauchi.
- Chairman and members of NUJ
- Correspondents and other guests here present
- Ladies and Gentlemen
Introduction:
It is with great sense of responsibility and in line with our patriotic duty to our dear Bauchi state that we are addressing you and other fellow citizens on a very important issue of the state of affairs particularly with the belatedly scheduled local government council election fixed for Saturday, 17th August 2024. No doubt, we have decided to raise the level of our participation and contribution to the debate because from the recent remarks by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammad on matters on the ground and the response by the senator representing Bauchi South senatorial district, Mallam Shehu Buba Umar, the people need to give their side of the story so that the debate is enriched and the truth revealed.
1. There are questions over Governor Bala Mohammed’s democratic credentials
It is our considered view that for preferring caretaker committee arrangement at the expense of a democratically elected chairmen and councillors as provided for in the constitution is undemocratic.
We are saying this because it is on record that throughout his first term in office as governor, His Excellency, Kauran Bauchi’s administration, conducted election into local governments only once in 2020. Before and after that time, it has been one set of caretaker committee or the other.
No democrat or a people-oriented leader will do or promote this kind of arrangement but this has been the sad reality in Bauchi state where the governor annexed local governments to his office and deprive the people of the right to choose leaders of their choice.
2.Both Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu are better Leaders.
Citizens in Bauchi state and beyond can recall that after his electoral and judicial victory following the 2019 and 2023 elections, Governor Bala Mohammed of the PDP publicly praised and commended the then and current presidents who belong to a different political party from his own, in the persons of President Buhari and Bola Tinubu respectively, for allowing the choice of the people of Bauchi state to prevail on both occasions and also for not using their exalted positions to unduly interfere with the judicial process., the outcome of which favored the Kauran Bauchi.
This is why we believe that on the score of who is a real democrat, who is the leader that prefers the interest of the majority to his own personal interests and who is the gentleman leader that believes in playing the game by the rules, then our APC-produced presidents are far better than Bauchi state Governor with all due respect.
Another reason for saying that Governor Bala Kaura’s democratic credentials is seriously below average is that even during the second tenure of Governor Ahmad Mu’azu in Bauchi state in 2006, the then opposition party, APP was able to secure some seats like a couple of councillorship positions which to some extent, show that once a free, fair and credible election is held for local government chairmen and councillorship positions in a politically mature and exposed state like Bauchi, then it is not possible for one party sweep all the seats. Moreso it is impossible for the state ruling party (PDP) to win all the 20 local government chairmen and over three hundred councillorship positions. But that was the outcome of the sham and so-called election conducted by the Bala Mohammed – led government in 2020. And it was never free, fair, nor was it credible. In fact, apart from the voter apathy that characterized the election, the most dominant and popular comment on the lips of the people is, ‘PDP sun yi abun da suke so ne kawai.’
Now, as with every action, there is a day of reckoning when leaders shall be called to account and His Excellency, Bala Mohammed will for sure be one of them.
3.Concerns of The Common Man and The Relevance of the resources earned by Bauchi state.
We wish to observe that even before Senator Shehu Buba filed a return salvo on Governor Bala’s serious criticism of the president Tinubu – led administration, discussions, reservations and posers are being asked by concerned citizens of Bauchi state across political party lines on what exactly the Governor is doing to cushion the effect of the serious hardship that the average citizen is going through. This is so because the people have since realized that unlike local government councils whose finances and allocations have been under the direct control of the state government, Bauchi state under Governor Bala Mohammad have been receiving its allocations and other disbursements due to it on time and without any strings attached, both under Buhari and Tinubu presidency.
For instance, in a publication in some national dailies such as Thisday Newspaper of Monday 22nd July 2024 at page 38, the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic planning revealed that Bauchi state received the sum of Seven Billion, Three Hundred and Four million, Six hundred and Sixty - five thousand, Nine hundred and ninety – four Naira, Ninety – two Kobo ( #7, 304, 994. 92) as re-imbursement under the (NG – CARES) programme, otherwise known as The Nigeria COVID – 19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus. It is instructive to note that Zamfara state which is a PDP state like Bauchi earned the highest amount of Forty – nine billion, one hundred and eighty – two million, three hundred and forty – seven thousand, eight hundred and thirty – four naira, fifty – eight kobo ( #49, 182, 347, 834. 58). Without saying it, it is seriously doubtful if the opposition party in Bauchi will be treated and accorded its rightful place on a sensitive issue of finances like the Federal government has been doing, going by our experience on how democracy has been emasculated with government and its businesses being run more for a few than for all of us as it should be.
4.Why has the Bala Mohammed - led administration not been forth – coming on certain questions?
Before delving to mention these pertinent questions on the state of finances in Bauchi state, it is important that we ask the government why it has not been providing citizens with regular update like at the end of every month on how much Bauchi state earned and how is same being spent, not just for transparency and accountability but also to give citizens the opportunity to know the truth on these matters. Taking a guidance from this, we feel it is right that the government responds to these pertinent questions on finances and the materials as follows:
1. What is the Quantity of food items and other intervention packages received by Bauchi state from Federal Government from May 2023 till date?
2. What is the explanation and difference between 70 trucks of assorted fertilizers donated by the Federal government through CBN for the benefit of the people of Bauchi state especially the most vulnerable and the one being sold at the rate of #20, 000 per bag by Bauchi state government?
3. Governors like Babagana Zulum of Borno state, have since distributed in a verifiable manner, the recently donated 20 trucks of rice by the Federal government. What is the position on this in Bauchi state?
4. Did Bauchi state earn in statutory allocation alone, the sum of over one hundred and forty billion in 2023 and how was it spent?
5. Is the amount so far received by Bauchi state government in 2024 (from January till date) up to about fifty billion Naira?
6. What is the state of debt in the state and the difference from the figures at the time it took over till date?
5.A True Son of Bauchi has Taken The Right Step.
Through his revelations that is relevant to our presentation this afternoon, Senator Shehu Buba (Mujaddadin Bauchi) should be commended for speaking the minds of a lot of the people of Bauchi state.
Leadership is a bust. It is a responsibility. Most people are disturbed about the current national and peculiar situation in Bauchi state. Most of them have the desire to talk but the struggle to feed and survive is making it difficult for them to do so. So nationally, a majority of the people of Bauchi state are grateful to Shehu Buba for speaking their minds and for highlighting the perspectives that truly reflect the reality of life in Bauchi state today in terms of what the government of Governor Bala did or did not. That is the way to go. Every leader should give account of his stewardship, explain his actions, policies and so on and tell the people the truth they need to know.
6.WE ENDORSE APC CANDIDATES FOR THE SATURDAY 17TH AUGUST LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION
For all we have said and for the reason of its willingness, commitment and concern for grass root development through democratic process if the people electing their leaders at the local government level and for the fact that the Bauchi PDP led-administration would not have thought of conducting election had the supreme court not gave judgement providing for financial autonomy, we appeal to fellow electorates in Bauchi State to vote for candidates of the APC in the election. They are more prepared as a matter of providing leadership that will yield meaningful dividends to the electorates. They are not hand-picked stooges of a few but true products of a validly conducted democratic process (primaries).
In Bauchi Local Government for example, APC’s Zubairu Sani Gwabba is better by far than any other handpicked candidate. We understand most voters are sceptical and apprehensive that the election come Saturday is going to be a repeat of the sham of 2020. But that should not be the case with what senator Shehu Buba has done in terms of putting Governor Bala to task, it is clear that the system will work for the greater benefit of the people if we choose right and hold leaders to account. For us in Bauchi Gari Ya Waye Group, the Saturday August 17th election is the right time for the struggle for a better Bauchi state. As with other struggles however, how much the people are informed through the role of journalists and other patriotic sons and daughters of Bauchi state matter a lot.
So, help us God and Remain blessed!!
Hon. Kabiru Nata’ala
