By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi.
A member representing Misau/Dambam federal constituency in Bauchi State at the National Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Yerima has accused the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar of running an exclusive government in the state.
Ahmed, while reacting to the protest by civil servants and pensioners from the Local Governments over verification and non-payment of salaries and pensions weekend, said “People come this morning and stage their protest to Government House which I am a leaving witness, this accent a bad signal to the APC government in the country especially in the states were people are running governments as personal institutions”,
“Where government is no longer a government of all inclusive but exclusive, government where people have no voice, a government of one man show, so we are about to confront this type of situation but I don’t think we in the APC will allow government to be running this way”, he said
The Lawmaker added, “Whether they like it or not, they have to change it and get the proper position of accountability and responsibilities where voice of stakeholders of the APC, the voices of reasoning, if they refuse people will revolt against us”.
“We have to look at it from human factor, we have to understand that people live to be respected and policies of this government totally neglected the people, a government which shares arrogant and lack of public consent is the driving force that made the government unpopular”.
Yerima observed that the Bauchi protesters are showing their anger, and injustices being meted to them by the government, saying “Lack of fairness, equity and justice to people who are working, and worked for this country for 35 years and receiving their salaries and pensions over the years is very unfortunately”.
“Since the inception of this administration some people were unable to access their pensions, they includes local government staff , state government staff and teachers who could not receive their salaries and benefits, what the Government of Bauchi state is talking about is verification and verification”.
“About two years ago Yuguda Administration has done a similar thing, so also in past couple of months 4 or 5 month, similar series of counter unproductive verification started again with the present administration”
The lawmaker emphasized that if the Bauchi state governor has any reason of verification, he should copy exact system of Yobe, Kaduna or Kano states where there is ongoing verification but salaries and pensions were not stopped.
Hon. Ahmed Yerima expressed regret that APC will not win future governorship elections in Bauchi with the current happenings in the state.
“If there is going to be election of governorship in the state, I don’t think if APC government will win with the current event. First of all, there is absence of relationship between principal stakeholders and the government, those that spent their times, resources and everything to ensure the emergence of APC in the last elections”.
“Those stakeholders have no relevance in the government, they cannot advice the government, they cannot voice out there opinions, total bickering exists between different groups just because they condemned the entire system, there is bad blood in between the government and those governed”.
Yerima therefore advised Governor Mohammed Abubakar to operate an open door policy that will torch the lives of people, and run an all –inclusive government with the understanding that he is vulnerable for going against the wish of the people.
But in a swift response the Publicity Secretary of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Alhaji Auwal Ali Jalla, dismissed the accusations, saying it’s unfortunate for a real and genuine APC member to utter this statement against the APC leadership and the present administration in the state.
Jalla, wondered how Hon Member Ahmed whom, who, his people from his constituency and the party leadership don’t have access to him uttering such statements, adding “Is just a case of pot calling cattle black”.
