Story from Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir and Former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara has renewed Political battle over Dass State Assembly bye-election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC fixed Saturday 5th December for the bye-election.
Dass House of Assembly seat became vacant following the assassination of its former occupant, Honorable Musa Mantai Baraza, a member of the All Progressive Congress Party (APC).
Gunmen killed the deceased lawmaker inside his House in Baraza and abducted his two wives and his son in Dass Local Government Area who later regained their freedom.
Since after the incident Police arrested some suspects an investigation into the murder is ongoing.
Many saw the bye-election as a battle between Dogara and Governor Bala because Dass is one of the local government areas under Mr Dogara’s Federal constituency
Political analysts believe that both Bala and Dogara, will test their political strengths since after the defection of Dogara from PDP to APC and parted way with Bauchi Governor of what he alleged non-fulfillment of electoral campaign promises.
Before the 2019 General Election Dogara who was the then-Speaker of the House of Representative defected to PDP from APC team up with Bauchi Governor Bala where he played a key role in the election that brought Governor Bala of PDP to power and Dogara two won Dass Tafawa Balewa Bogoro Federal constituency election.
Governor Bala and Dogara are using the Dass House of Assembly bye-election to test their local influence.
Dogara has large followers in his constituency, Bogoro Dass Tafawa-Balewa Federal Constituency, his people has confidence on his Representatives because of the numerous empowerment and development projects he brought to his constituents a reason why he never lost any of his elections in the area since 2003.
Dogara may also likely seek for support from Federal Agencies that are stakeholders in the conduct of the election.
Governor Bala, rely on the apparatus of power, his popularity in the state and Jarawa son to win the election.
The Governor enjoys the support of the people of the area and his kinsman when he contested Bauchi Senatorial seat and won the election in 2007, and they also gave him support in 2019 when he contested the Governorship seat.
He is expected to deploy his incumbency influence to ensure that the people of Dass show support for his party, the PDP.
When Dogara left PDP not long after he helps the party to form a government in his State Bauchi. His defection to APC became the biggest embarrassment to the ruling party PDP in Bauchi.
In his zeal and desire to win the bye-election for APC Dogara stormed Dass township for the party’s grand campaign rally on Wednesday in the company of dozens of serving members of the National Assembly, as well as top APC stalwarts from within and outside Bauchi State.
Among those that followed Mr Dogara to Dass for the bye-election campaign was Senator Halliru Dauda Jika. an APC Senator from Bauchi Central, and a popular lawmaker, Honorable Gudaji Kazaure, from Jigawa State, who spoke at the occasion, Captain Bala Jibrin and many others.
During the APC campaign, Dogara told the people to vote APC candidate to enable the Federal government to complete some of the ongoing projects in Dass local government.
He said if people of Dass vote for the APC candidate it will help the to mount get more development projects to the people of the area like the construction of the mighty bridges and construction of Dam and other social amenities.
On Thursday, at the same venue, in Dass town, Governor Bala also led his party for its grand rally ahead of the Saturday bye-election.
Governor Bala said that he would not join issues with Dogara “I am in no way his equal, and no one assisted me to attain what God has blessed me with, I was once a senator, and then a minister and now a governor, and all credits goes to God, good governance is not about food or sharing of motorcycles, good governance is about “establishing infrastructure that will benefit the people.
Governor Bala said his government will upgrade the building of the emir palace and makes it a model, it will establish l a tertiary institution of agriculture in Dass to provide employment.
“We are building 150 houses and schools here in Dass; we want to empower the youth to be self-reliant.”
The governor said donated three Buses to assist the family of the deceased law assembly member.
He said “The late state lawmaker was a good man, we are indifferent parties but he never did any wrong thing and I mourn his gruesome murder when he was killed I went to the Inspector General of Police who sent a special squad that arrested the killers of the deceased lawmaker. But I have said that we must support his family. So I have approved the donation of three vehicles for his children to use as a means of income generation.”
The Governor said, “We are not afraid of anyone. I am ready to face the big players from the National level: not here in the state”.
Both leaders and their supporters intensify lobbying the electorates to vote for their candidate in the bye-election on Saturday.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
