Bauchi: Resists Being Dragged to Political Arena, Senator Umar Warns Emirate Council

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Senator Shehu Buba Umar representing Bauchi South senatorial district in the National Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed shock at the decision of the Bauchi Emirate Council stripping him of his traditional title of Mujaddadin Bauchi for alleged district to Governor Bala Mohammed.

Senator Umar expressed his sympathy with the Bauchi Emirate Council for hastily drawing a conclusion on his matter without affording him fair hearing, saying that he accepted their decision in good faith, hoping that in due time, Almighty Allah will send a messiah to Bauchi State to correct this situation.

He also advised the Bauchi Emirate Council to resist any attempt by political actors to drag it into the political arena in serving selfish interests and pray for the long reign of the Emir of Bauchi in sound health, effectively piloting the affairs of his Emirate.

These were contained in a letter he addressed to the Emir of Bauchi, in which he further argued that Governor Mohammed’s rhetoric was “confrontational, accusatory, abusive, and defamatory, emotive language” aimed at threatening national security, adding that the governor had abused the people of Bauchi on several occasions.

Senator Umar said that he has always adhered to a policy of constructive criticism, refraining from the use of insulting or abusive language.

The Senate Committee Chairman on National Security and Intelligence said that his response to Governor Mohammed’s disparaging comments about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aimed at defending the Nigerian leader against what he perceived as “calculated attempts to tarnish his reputation and sow public discord that could threaten national security”.

Umar particularly lamented that even though the Bauchi State government received over N144 billion from the Federation Account in 2023 and more than N47 billion from January to date, the effect of the huge allocation has not been felt by the people.

The lawmaker said: “I received with utter shock a letter dated August 14, 2024, informing me of the Bauchi Emirate Council’s decision to withdraw my traditional title of Mujaddadin Bauchi.

“This decision was made over an allegation that I insulted Governor Bala Mohammed during a rally.

“Meanwhile, I must state that during a recent APC campaign flag-off, I responded to the Governor’s disparaging comments about the President, which I felt were calculated to expose the President to public contempt and disaffection.

“In some of the multimedia contents that have gone viral, the Governor’s rhetoric is confrontational, accusatory, abusive and defamatory. Some of the emotive language accused President Tinubu of “lying to us,” “deception,” “causing pain,” “anger and hunger” to appeal to emotions.

“While the allegations by Governor Bala of PDP against President Tinubu of APC are politically motivated, most of them are baseless, unsubstantiated, lacking concrete data and evidence and barefaced falsehood.

“In my response to Governor Bala’s accusation against President Tinubu, I pointed out the following: I refuted his claim that the Tinubu-led Administration abused the office, instead, I accused the Governor of abusing people in Bauchi State.

“I disclosed that Governor Bala received over N144 billion from the Federation Account in 2023 and over N47 billion from January to date, with a projected N195 billion by the end of 2024. I asked him to justify how he manages the treasury as citizens are crying of hunger.

“I added that President Tinubu was doing all that is possible to secure the nation, stabilise the economy and ensure peaceful coexistence without polarising the polity unlike Governor Bala. My remarks were well-intentioned and in defense of a higher authority than a Governor’s,” he stressed.