By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
The ex-minister of state for foreign affairs during the Obasanjo democratic regime, Muhammad Bello Kirfi has taken the Bauchi State Government to court, challenging his removal as Wazirin Bauchi.
A spokesperson of the Kirfi family, Barr. Yakubu Bello Kirfi who gave hints about the legal action, said, “Unambiguously, the matter is now before a court of competent jurisdiction, which will determine the legality of the purported action by the state government”.
Barr. Yakubu Bello Kirfi in a statement made available to the press in Bauchi on Tuesday, also denied media reports that the ex-minister has boasted to do everything within his power to halt the re-election bid of Governor Bala Mohammed.
The statement reads; “Our attention has been drawn to the publications on the 8th and 9th of January, 2023 respectively by some media organizations quoting Alh. Dr. Muhammad Bello Kirfi CON to have said that he would unseat Gov. Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad in the forthcoming elections in Bauchi state”.
While describing the story as unfounded and not true, the statement added, “Religiously, as strong believers in the Islamic Article of Faith, we believe power belong to Allah alone, He gives it to whom He wishes, and take it when He wishes”.
“Furthermore, the issue of removal as Wazirin Bauchi and council member on the 3rd of January, 2023 orchestrated by the state government via the Emirate Council has undoubtedly generated controversies in and around the state”.
It will be recall that Bauchi Emirate Council announced Bello Kirfi’s removal as the Wazirin Bauchi in a letter dated January 3, 2023 from the emirate council.
“Iam directed to refer to a letter received from the Ministry of Local Government Affairs with reference No: MLG/LG/S/72/T dated 3oth December, 2022”, the letter signed by Alhaji Shehu Mudi Muhammad, the Council Secretary said.
“The content of the said letter indicated your disloyalty and disrespect to the Executive Governor of the state and the Government. It therefore directed for your removal with immediate effect”.
“In view of the above you are hereby removed from office as Wazirin Bauchi and also as council member of Bauchi Emirate”, the letter said.
The dethroned Wazirin Bauchi, Dr. Bello Kirfi however while fielding reporters at his Ahmadu Bello Way residence in Bauchi Wednesday, said he regard the incident that happened to him as simple incident.
“I regard the incident as a simple incident, as you know I’m one of those who stood for him to become the Governor, and instead I was a little bit disappointed that this is the worst he can do to me”.
Alhaji Muhammad Bello Kirfi added, “But it doesn’t matter because I’m not getting anything with the office which I have been holding in the emir’s palace, yes. I’m not a paying officer, I don’t take any salary, I’m part-time member of the council”.
Kirfi explained that the removal does not move him at all, saying “The way I brought him in will be also the way he would get himself out of power, I leave everything to Almighty Allah, He will judge what is between me and him, so I don’t have anything to ……
“When I saw the reported statement credited to me that I would remove him out of office, I was highly disturbed because everyone knows that I’m a true believer of the Islamic faith and I fear God in all my doings”
The 90-year old gentle and statesman said, “Its God that gives power, when we are trying to remove that one, it’s to Allah that we prayed, we didn’t ask any person, so when I saw the reported statement credited to me I was terribly disturbed”.
“I’m not the one that created him, what I actually know was that I assisted him, and God in His desire gave him the power, so why should one say I would remove him from power when I was not the one who gave him, may be the reporter acted in that way only to get money or to please other people, you know some people does not know the Majestic, Magnificent God”.
He stated, “Some people, many of whom I don’t know them that publicly demonstrated their frustrations over the issue who were hitherto not interested in performing their civil rights to vote have now turned to collect their PVCs at the INEC distribution centres or polling booths truly to cast their votes on the e-day because of the support they have to me”.
This, Muhammad Bello Kirfi said, is based upon the people’s understanding about his patriotism and the desire to assist people in need of his favour or counselling, “So it is a blatant lie the concoction that I would remove the governor from office”.
Kirfi therefore debunked the insinuations credited to him in the media that “I would remove Bala Mohammed the way I brought him to power”, frowning “This is an Act of God the Creator of the Entire Universe, not a human being who was created out of countless others”.
He thanked those journalists that besieged his residence to get a clear picture of the incident, saying “God knows that I didn’t utter those words credited to me, but Allah is the Ever-knowing. I’m not an illiterate person, and I know everything depends upon God the Almighty”.
