Story from Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
A former Bauchi State Governor, Malam Isa Yuguda has backed the comment made by the incumbent Governor of the state, Bala Mohammed over his recent comments on herdsmen that sparked national outrage.
Yuguda stated this while answering questions from newsmen after revalidating his membership with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi on Monday.
He said Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria have been unfairly treated over the years, by successive administrations stating that the successive governments over the years, despite growth in the population were unable to solve the basic problems of Fulani herdsmen. Also noting that so many budgets in agriculture exclude livestock, and they didn’t improve the living standards of the herdsmen.
Yuguda said, “The Nigerian states have not been fair to these people (Fulanis). When the White man came, they provided cattle grazing and routes from Maiduguri to Lokoja and Ilorin, these infrastructures were provided by the White people, and today where are the grazing reserves and the cattle routes?
He wondered why the comment by Governor Bala Mohammed generated the recent public outcry, arguing that; “There has been a clamour by senior citizens in this country that we should carry weapons to defend ourselves, but when our governor, Bala Mohammed made a remark to that effect everyone is crying wolf – all the Nigerian press is saying Bala is this, Bala is that, didn’t you hear a senior citizen in Nigeria saying we should carry guns to defend ourselves? Where were you guys, nobody wrote about it until when Bala said okay these people (Fulanis) also deserve the right to defend themselves.”
Governor Yuguda, who blamed the Nigeria press over ethnic profiling warned that; “Let us stop being sentimental for goodness sake, otherwise this country will crumble, it’s crumbling in your hands and I’m afraid that you as the press are creating this problem.”
He commended Governor Mohammed for the infrastructural development in the state, saying, “He is doing his best; anyone that occupies a seat can only offer his best. But for him when I came to Bauchi I saw new roads I saw hospital was rehabilitated.”
Yuguda expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the ongoing revalidation membership of APC and described it as transparent.
When asked if he will contest for the position of Senator, National Chairman of APC or President 2023, Yuguda said “it’s Allah who gives power to whom He wills at the time He wishes.”
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