Re: Bauchi: Between democracy and anarchy

My attention has been drawn to an opinion published on page 41 of Friday 8th July, 2016 by Ahmed Yarima, member, House of Representatives, who is always acrimonious, antagonistic and malevolent to the executive governor of Bauchi state Barrister Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar unnecessarily. Ahmed Yarima has always been controversial regarding anything that has to do […]

My attention has been drawn to an opinion published on page 41 of Friday 8th July, 2016 by Ahmed Yarima, member, House of Representatives, who is always acrimonious, antagonistic and malevolent to the executive governor of Bauchi state Barrister Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar unnecessarily. Ahmed Yarima has always been controversial regarding anything that has to do with M.A Abubakar, more especially in this hazardous time in which Nigeria faces economic tsunami. In fact, an unprejudiced and courteous citizen would never disgrace his leader, because every leader is entitled to be esteemed and highly regarded by his citizen. Democratically, as a father for our state, M.A Abubakar must be well-regarded towards his personality and office.  
In reality, every respected and justified citizen of Bauchi state ought to be grateful to his Excellency because of his enthusiasm over transforming Bauchi state. Many states across Nigeria have owed civil servants’/pensioners’ salary arrears for 7 to 11 months, but his Excellency had been doing his utmost to settle their arrears since two months ago.  Concerning your accusation against M.A. Abubakar of interacting with some PDP stakeholders like former PDP chairman Ahmad Adamu Mu’azu and former FCT minister Bala Muhammad in Saudi Arabia is unfair because their meeting was not political; rather it is a Ramadan fast-breaking meals including all Bauchi state indigenes were invited to the meeting to join his Excellency. If the meeting was a political, there is nothing objectionable about it because we have what we call “inter-party dialogue or chat, relations and debate” democratically, which aims at a social gathering between two or more parties at a private place, for conversation, refreshments, entertainments, jokes etc. So, the inter-party debate, it usually occurs on TV between opposite parties to lay down their ambitions or agendas in front of audience, as it happens between Democrats and Republicans in the USA.
So, democracy is not about an antagonism or hostility, it is just consolidating relationship between parties. His Excellency did not regard democracy as hostility as Ahmad Yerima does.   Additionally, Ahmad Yerima described M.A Abubukar’s led administration as “Anarchy”, but to the best of our knowledge, the wind of change which is blowing across every facets of the state is to enable the people see the difference between the 16 years of lack lustre governance of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the proactive mien of the present administration.  
Regarding the 146 prisoners that were released by his Excellency, you should know that the advisory council members are those requested and recommended their release, and his Excellency approved their recommendation due to his benevolence, goodwill and  munificence towards his people. Besides, the prisoners are not criminals as Ahmed Yarima alleged, rather all the prisoners were those sentenced to three years and above but who have only months left to complete their jail terms or long-term prisoners who have served more than 10 years of their sentence and were good conduct as well as persons above 60 years. Since his assumption in office, the governor M.A Abubakar has focused on the security sector in view of its significance as an enabler in promoting political, economic and social development. Undeniably, his Excellency M.A Abubakar’s led administration has kept the criminality and insurgency threat at bay in the state. So, how can he bring back criminals to our state?   Ahmed Yarima also talked about N5.2billion of Federal Government Monthly Allocation for both local government and the state, but Ahmed Yarima had unfortunately forgotten the huge external and domestic debts totaling over N125 billion which M.A Abubakar’s led administration  inherited from the outgoing administration of Malam Isah Yuguda. The domestic loan amounted to N48.7 billion, while foreign loan inherited is $87 million (about N18.9billion). The breakdown of the liabilities includes contractual liabilities -N41.6 billion; retired workers’ gratuity arrears – N7.7 billion and gratuity arrears from local government workers – N6.9 billion. Apart from these debts, salary arrears for civil servants from January 2015 to date amounted to N5.3billion.  In conclusion, as a father of our state democratically, his Excellency Barrister M.A Abubakar is entitled to be respected and prayed for, if he does wrongdoings or mistakes, he should be advised.   

Mustapha Baba Azare, Bauchi State 08149712150 [email protected]