Ali Abare, Gombe
Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State has denied recent reports suggesting that he gave order for the arrest of one Ibrahim Suleiman Bage for allegedly supporting the presidential ambition of former vice president Atiku Abubakar on social media.
In a statement issued to journalists, on Thursday, and signed by the state’s Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Umar Ahmed Nafada, Governor Dankwambo distanced the state government from the alleged report.
Nafada described as ‘shocking’ media reports suggesting that his principal victimised that said Bage over his support for the presidential ambition of Atiku Ábubakar, a former Vice President and stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He described the report as “blatant lie and a figment of imagination of some disgruntled elements who are just out to fan the embers of disharmony” between Dankwambo and Atiku.
Nafada emphasised that there was never a time that Governor Dankwambo or any of his associates victimised or engaged in a campaign of calumny against the person of Atiku or any other person.
“There has always been good understanding and rapport between Governor Dankwambo and Wazirin Adamawa on both political and inter-personal basis, ” he said.
Effort by Daily Sun to get the response of Ibrahim Suleiman Bage did not yield any result as Bage, who identified himself as “Pressman at Gombe Government House,” on his Facebook profile, refused to pick calls put through his phone.
Bage initially answered his call but on introduction of the matter by our correspondent, failed to respond. He equally failed to respond to two short messages sent to his phone seeking clarification on the matter.