PDP denies role, absolves Bauchi governor in Tafawa Balewa violence
By Sammy OJ
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bauchi chapter has denied allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its involvement in the botched 21st anniversary of Seyawa’s late leader, Baba Peter Gonto in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro local government areas of the state.
Although the celebration of the late leader did not hold due to crisis that followed the destruction of properties in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro local government areas, the two major parties in the have continued to trade blames.
The APC had alleged that Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed ignored warnings of impending danger in area, and went ahead to plan the programme using the state’s resources for PDP rally in the guise of celebrating Seyawa’s late leader.
However, in a press release made available to Vanguard on Sunday, PDP through its Legal Adviser, Shipi Rabi denied the allegations saying that the governor is an undisputable apostle of peace, unity, cohesion and team spirit.
“Following the statement dated 10 Deember, 2021 issued by the All Progresine Congress APC Bauchi State Chapter on the issues relating to the memorial events being organized at Mwari, Bogoro LGA of Bauchi State in honour of the undisputed patriarch, hero and unifying force of the Zaar nation Late Baba Peter Gwonto, the PDP as the governing party denies the erroneous, warped, wholly false and blased stance of the defeated APC in the state.
“Flowing from this and in very specific terms, we would like to dissociate our party in total and His Excellency, Senator Bala Mahammad from the allegations . We want well-meaning citizens within and outside the state to know that we are not part of anything untoward, provocative or inimical to peace and development of the people either related to the late Baba Gonto memorial events or any other issue for that matter.
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“For our able, performing and responsible Governor Bala, it is on record that he recently reiterated the well-known fact about his antecedents, profile and record across various spheres and levels of service which present him an undisputable apostle of peace, unity, cohesion and team spirit as veritable tools for national development.
“Our party thus stand by this and on the evidence of the too numerous examples of His Excellency’s great character and bond with peace and positive conduct, we call in the APC in the state and others who may have been tricked into the bring Bala and government down project that they are on a failed mission and they shall never succeed.
“Now that the fact has emerged that the repeated reference to the Governor in the APC’s press statement in issue is done solely for mischief purposes, we categorically make the point that Za’ar nation is too enlightened progressively and developmentally inclined as to reduce a serious matter like the said memorial events to a party affair,” he said.
The Bauchi PDP Legal Adviser who further said that civil servants are faring better under Governor Mohammed that when APC was in government, stated that the allegations of security threat in the area and non-payment of minimum wage in the state were political statements by the APC to clinch to power in the state again.
“With regards to the allegations of threat to security of the area because of the event and the performance of His Excellency’s led government including his showing on such matters like payment of salary, it is our considered position that the fact that civil servants are by far faring better now compared to APC’s forgotten reign of 2015-2019.
“In this as well as other areas of governance is a testimony that Bauchi State is making progress under party for which obviously the opposition are losing sleep hence their clutching at every straw to join issues with us.
“In conclusion, PDP uses this medium to call on security agencies across to step up efforts towards fishing out and prosecuting the bad elements who are hiding under the guise of a purely socio-cultural event of the Za’ar people to cause trouble,” he added.