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Chairman of BMGGG, Barrister Khalil Abdullahi
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
The vice presidential aspiration of former Speaker of the House of Reps, Barr Yakubu Dogara may have suffered a setback as a religious organization, Bauchi Muslim Good Governance Group (BMGGG) has opposed sternly to his being considered as a vice presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group while addressing Journalists on Sunday at the NUJ Press Center observed that, “the man Dogara Yakubu appears to many unsuspecting Muslims as a kind and generous person, who loves to mingle and share niceties with everyone”.
The Chairman of (BMGGG) Barr Khalil Abdullahi Esq stated that, “It has come to our notice that a certain interest group is pushing for the selection of Hon. Dogara Yakubu, former Speaker of the House of Reps to be nominated as the Vice President (VP) to APC presidential flag bearer, HE Ahmad Bola Tinubu. It is on this note that we the BMGGG members wish to make the following statements clear on the dangers of anointing Mr. Dogara as VP”.
He stated that, “This camouflaged image works well with outsiders, but not with the majority of the Muslims from his constituency and many within Bauchi State. Many facts abound on his mischievous schemes on how he perpetually oppressed and subjugated the Muslims from his constituency and the state in all affairs of education and governance so as to curtail their development and empowerment in order not to compete with his tribesmen”.
He added that, “At this juncture, we’d like to pause and ask Dogara why he personalized and cornered all opportunities meant for the entire indigenes of Bauchi State to his tribesmen and brethren?”
According to the Chairman of the group, “We have abundant statistics at our disposal and we’d tender it at the appropriate time to prove how indigenes of Bauchi State, particularly the Muslims were hoodwinked and replaced by even non indigenes” .
“A state that has 20 LGAs, Dogara cannot boast of empowering or sponsoring any person other than his tribesmen on international scholarship when he was the fourth citizen?”, the group claimed.
It further stressed that, “We’re also aware that Dogara has never facilitated or cared to find out the plight and condition of Muslims affected by series of crises in Tafawa Balewa town throughout his membership in the red chambers” .
BMGGG claimed that, “He neither brokered peace deal by constituting a strong team of peace arbiters to look into the possibility of bringing the warring factions together for possible reconciliation, reconstruction, and coexistence, nor cared to even sit with Muslim representatives on one hand and the ZAAR parties on the other hand for possible dialogue”.
The group therefore challenged those pushing Dogara into the throats of millions of Muslims in Arewa to first of all test his acceptability and popularity from his state by presenting him for senatorial contest/candidate from Bauchi south, or present him as deputy governor to AVM Sadiq of the APC, or even encourage him to contest for gubernatorial slot before advertising him for VP.
According to the Group, “We are not oblivious to the fact that some of our brothers are trying hard to sell Dogara as a good person, but sages say “charity begins at home,” therefore, no matter how many bridges Dogara was purported to have built between Muslims and Christians, as reported by his mouthpieces, we at BMGGG would like to see him build, or at least facilitate the building of a bridge, just one, from his constituency that would allow the displaced Muslims of Tafawa Balewa town to return to their familiar homes, or resettle them temporary near their farmlands, away from exile”.
“It behooves on us at the BMGGG to forewarn our Muslim brothers and sisters that Dogara will never represent our interest and so we will never support his candidature as VP to Asiwaju Ahmad Bola Tinubu or any other national appointment”, the group added.
“They say to be forewarned is to be forearmed; we have delivered our responsibility hoping that those concerned will heed and adhere to our legitimate remonstration against Dogara’s nomination”, it further stated.
BMGGG added that, “Finally, Dogara’s inability to constitute a reconciliatory committee that could negotiate a possible level ground between the Muslims and Christians from Tafawa Balewa proved that he cannot be a good representative of all electorates in his constituency and the nation at large”.
“It is therefore shocking to hear that some people, especially from our state are advocating for his nomination, and it will be more shocking if Asiwaju Tinubu should choose him as his running mate”, it further stated.
It claimed that, “A person with the above predispositions cannot represent us or be a good leader that people can rely on as true patriot and detribalized citizen. We therefore reiterate our opposition to Dogara’s nomination as VP to Asiwaju, or any national appointment because we do not see how the two will work successfully for the betterment of this great nation”.
