Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse
Dutse Local Government Council Chairman, Alhaji Bala Yakubu Yar’Gaba was almost lynched by angry mob at the council secretariat.
The mob, who came in droves, demanded that they be paid the stipend approved by the state for each of the polling units across the state.
The Council Chairman, who attempted at explaining to the crowd the procedure for the disbursement and subsequent payment of the fund, met a stiff resistance from the mob s they were unconvinced with his explanation.
The crowd started chanting derogatory remarks against the council chairman while some held his flowing gown (Babban riga) and suddenly tore it to shreds.
When the press contacted the council Chairman, he pointed accusing finger at a member of the state’s House of Assembly Alhaji Musa Sule, as being behind his ordeal, who he alleged, sent the protesters to beat him.
He accused the lawmaker of mobilising and instigating people to besiege and molest him within his council office.
“I don’t have any iota of doubt that the mob were mobilised, instigated and directed to attack me because I have refused to succumb to the pressure of substituting names of beneficiaries of the fund”, he declared.
He, however, assured that in politics such was bound to happen to any leader but insisted, and that he would reply the lawmaker ‘politically’ very soon.
Also, when our reporter contacted the lawmaker, Alhaji Musa Sule, he dismissed the accusation as “work of an irresponsible people that never meant well for the state.”
“I have been away from the state for some days and on my way someone called and told me that the council chairman had announced in a radio programme that the council will commence the payment of the Polling Unit Development fund today.
“I don’t have any prior knowledge that people were mobilised to beat up the chairman. I also did not know that they were called upon for whatever reason”, he declared.