Senator Bukkar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe East) says neither regional alliance nor populist propaganda will guarantee victory for the All Progressives Congress and President Muhammadu Buhari in North east in 2019, instead he says the region will rally round the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, because of neglect of the region. Patrick Andrew recaptures the argument.
“I voluntarily withdrew from the race to pave way for the younger ones who now see me as their father and leader in Yobe politics having served in different capacities over the decades in bringing the state to where it is today right from Borno State where as the only educationally and professionally qualified Quantity Surveyor, served as commissioner under different military administrators and contributed immensely to the development plans put in place for the state.
“As somebody getting close to 70, I need to give way for the upcoming generations to contribute their quota as well, while as father of all, be at the background to give the required advice and direction when necessary.
“The geographical zone called North East today was on the same page with the progressives politics played by the late Aminu Kano of NEPU, Obafemi Awolowo of the defunct Action Group (AG) and Nnamdi Azikwe of the defunct NCNC as against capitalistic and conservative ideology of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) led by the late Sir Ahnadu Bello and seen as aggressive and ruthless to North Eastern and middle belt people generally.
“In fact, the politics of the North East has always been different from the politics of the North West and it was under APC that we all united for the first time.
” As we move towards the elections , I have to give a dire warning to the APC that things are no longer the way they were in 2015 when we road to power on a cloud of euphoria believing that things will change for better.
“There are just certain things that progressive parties do and must be seen to do. We must be seen to obey the rule of law. If the courts rule, we must obey. We must respect the separation of powers and let the legislature make its independent decisions.
“Simply put, things have not changed and many things are getting worse and the people are bitter. We should not assume that we can win even with massive rigging.
“The economy has gone down because of our action and inaction and we are blaming the past too much rather than solving the present problems.
“I am going to give a dire warning. Let the North East not be taken for granted that we must support APC. Our interest in the North East has always been progressive and I will personally be watching for required improvements in the APC before the elections.
“If APC, under Buhari, fails to get its bearings in terms of good governance before the 2019 general elections, the North East will have no other option than to vote for candidates of other political parties, one of whom is Mr. Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate.
“Improvements that can guarantee victory such as respecting the rule of law and releasing political prisoners as well as unselective war against corruption as against one sided witch hunt”.
“I shall sit back and continue encouraging my party do the right thing. But if we don’t , I still reserve the capacity to ask my people to go our separate ways and do what must be done for good governance to reign in Nigeria “, he warned.
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I am going to give a dire warning. Let the North East not be taken for granted that we must support APC. Our interest in the North East has always been progressive and I will personally be watching for required improvements in the APC before the elections.
Pls use pixs of Senator Bukkar Abba Ibrahim
Keep quiet and mourn your electoral loss- Lawan
However, Goni Bukar Lawan, representing Bursari/Geidam/Yunusari federal constituency, Yobe State, says Senator Bukkar Abba Ibrahim’s comment does not reflect the reality on ground nor is he speaking for Yobe State and the North east.
The member of the lower chamber advised the Senator to learn to speak wisely or keep quiet if he does not want to incur the wrath of the people. Patrick Andrew brings excerpts:
Representative Lawan, chairman of the House Committee on Sports, countered the senator in Lagos after attending a meeting of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) in Lagos yesterday said:
“I feel bad that I am constrained to react to the disturbing comment of one of our leaders in Yobe State, His Excellency, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, who is probably still unhappy with the outcome of the APC primaries because he lost the APC senatorial ticket to outgoing Governor Ibrahim Gaidam.
“I also didn’t get a ticket like the Senator but we all must make sacrifice for the APC; after all, the party has given us chances to be at the National Assembly. Senator Ibrahim’s wife, who is a minister, is the only member of the Federal Executive Council that succeeded in getting the APC’s ticket to contest election in 2019.
“All other ministers failed in their bids for tickets. I think the Senator is one of the major beneficiaries of the APC. We must know that other people also need opportunities to serve our people. Senator Ibrahim saying that APC will lose in Yobe and the northeast is a joke.
“Any grassroots politician who is very conversant with political feelers in Yobe and neighboring Borno State can tell anyone that come 2019, the APC is coasting to overwhelming victory in these two states and insha’Allah, the whole of Northeast.
“The PDP is divided in both Borno and Yobe states while the APC is clearly the beautiful bride. So, how can anyone in all honesty raise doubts about the chances of APC in Yobe, Borno and the rest of the Northeast?
“Our people are fully with President Muhammadu Buhari; no one can doubt this. Yobe and Borno are among the greatest beneficiaries of the APC because under the PDP, our major problem was the overwhelming attacks of Boko Haram.
“The APC government of President Buhari is squarely fighting the Boko Haram. We are fully with our governors of Borno and Yobe and we are fully behind our governorship candidates Mala Mai Buni (Yobe) and Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum (Borno). We are behind all our national and state assembly candidates and by the grace of God, the APC will record resounding victory in the Northeast.
“I think Senator Ibrahim needs to remember that he is an elder statesman and elders don’t just say anything in public. Elders either speak wisely in public or they keep quiet” he said.
