Pro-Dogara, Governor Abubakar Clash over Bauchi APC Crisis

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

It was protest galore at the national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday when youth groups loyal to the feuding parties in the political dispute between the Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, held eberybody to ransom.

Although Abubakar was expected at the national secretariat along with the state Chairman of APC, but only the state chairman came with other party executives to the meeting with the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu.

Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, the state APC chairman, Uba Ahmed Nana, said contrary insinuations that the warring parties were fighting because of interests in 2019 general election, the issues were not about it.

“Let the story tellers be telling you. Go to Bauchi and see what is happening please, what is before us is not the issue of 2019. The ultimate goal of all of us and the party is how do we deliver successfully on our promises. That is what we are after. We should allow time to tell. We are not talking about 2019 but how to deliver successfully to the electorate.”

However, trouble started as soon as the state Chairman arrived the party secretariat, with the leader of one of the groups, Galadima Abba Ittas led other fierce looking thugs chanting “bamu so bama so’ meaning “we don’t want the governor.”

Speaking with journalists, Galadima said they were at the party secretariat to draw the attention of the party on the imminent collapse of the party in the state due to poor handling of affairs by the state Governor and the state Chairman.

“Abubakar has failed, he cannot pay salary of workers and unable to pay pensioners. Most of his appointments are PDP members while the APC appointees are being removed, we are calling on the national leadership to act fast by intervening in order to save the state from this debacle.
However, another group of youths mobilised and started chanting songs in support of the governor.
The atmosphere became charged as the chant of “Sai Barrister” (referring to governor) rented the air, drowning the voice of others.

Investigation however revealed that some of the youths were sponsored to embarrass the governor who incidentally was not at the secretariat.

Crisis rocked the state chapter of the APC with Dogara, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, other legislators from the state and other party executives were at the party secretariat to report the state governor to the national leadership of the party.