APC condemns removal of Wazirin Bauchi, accuses PDP Govt of intimidating traditional institution

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Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Hours after the removal of an Elderstateman, Alhaji Muhammadu Bello Kirfi from his position as Wazirin Bauchi by the Bauchi Emirate council, the state Chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has condemned the act in its totality.

The Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the party in Bauchi, Comrade Sabo Mohammed made the condemnation in a telephone interview with our Corresspondent on Wednesday.

Comrade Mohammed who is also the Spokesperson of the APC Governorship candidate, Ambassador Sadique Baba Abubakar, accused the Bauchi state government of intimidating and undermining the affairs of the traditional institution in the state.

“We received with deep shock and saddening the announcement of suspension of one of the most elder-statesmen in person of Alhaji Bello Kirfi, the Wazirin Bauchi. We are worried because the suspension of highly respected traditional title holders in Bauchi Emirate is becoming a reccuring incident”, he said.

According to him, former Speaker of the house of representatives, Rt Yakubu Dogara was suspended as the Jakadan Bauchi in a very skirmish politically motivated circumstance.

Comrade Sabo Mohammed who added that, another Lawmaker at the national assembly was also suspended from his traditional title of Wakilin Birni in what majority of the citizenry viewed as politically motivated.

“And now it just happened to Wazirin Bauchi who only spoke about the state of the nation as well as the state of the state affairs in Bauchi state”, he said.

“Our perception is that as a Nigerian, he is entitled to his own opinion, it’s his personal opinion and I think a government that is claiming to be a democratic government should as well respect the divergent opinion of the citizenry”, the APC stated.

The opposition APC while calling on all the right thinking Bauchi state indigenes to rise to the challenge said that a situation where the traditional institution is been intimidated and subjected to political manipulation by the government of the day to achieve or to score a political goal will not augur well for the emirate council and the traditional institution.

“So it is not a good development and we are condemning it in its totality and we are ready and willing to ensure that people are given their constitutional rights to voice out their opinion on any issue that is within the confine of the law”, Comrade Mohammed added.

While observing that the reasons given for the removal of the Wazirin Bauchi was sketchy, the APC pointed out that the reasons doesn’t tally with the reality on ground.

“That’s why we said at the onset, it is just because he summoned leaders of thought across the 20 local governments to a meeting and he has spoken about his position on the presidency and that of Bauchi, which he said requires a rescuer, somebody who is going accommodate all the interests and the intricacies of governance in the state”, the APC media man pointed out.

He further said, “so, by and large, our understanding directly, based on his body posture, he has given a vote of no confidence on the government that he has worked assiduously to form, and that is why we said this thing is becoming a recurring incident and it is not good for the government and it will not augur well for the traditional institution who are ordinarily based on the provision of the constitution, not partisan”.

“So we are calling on all the right thinking people of Bauchi state to ensure that our highly respected traditional institution is not allowed to be used for political motive”, he said.

Comrade Sabo who said that the APC respects the traditional institution, knowing fully, their limitations, however, reiterated that, it is not the first time that traditional title holders are been suspended by the present administration.

“Why now, when the Waziri of Bauchi called a meeting, expressed his opinion on national and state issues and that is what we felt triggered this action, so the reason given is just a cover up”, the APC insisted.

Comrade Sabo Mohammed who appealed to the Bauchi state government to respect the divergent opinion of the citizenry, irrespective of the party affiliation, said as someone who always preach democracy, the Governor need to also listen to constructive criticisms raised by the elder-statesman with a view to making amends.

“From the information we received, there are a lot of dissatisfaction on the way and manner this administration is running the affairs of the state and that is why they decided to say that they will talk about it in a later date, and that’s why this decision we felt is a precondition to scuttle that meeting that is intended for the Elder-statesman to categorically and unequivocally state their position on the state of affairs”, Comrade Mohammed pointed out.

“So, we are saying that, this government as a democratic one should learn to adapt to the tenets of democracy and one of the important tenets of democracy which is lacking under this administration is for the government to accommodate the divergent views on issues that are within the confine of the law”, the APC media man advised.