PAUL OMOKUVIE, Bauchi
The Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has criticised what he described as the “obnoxious selfish interest and bad leadership style” of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole.
Governor Mohammed observed that Oshiomhole’s “selfish leadership” had brought misfortunes to his party.
The governor, made his view known through his spokesperson, Dr. Ladan Salihu, in a statement made available to journalists in Bauchi on Tuesday, while reacting to a statement credited to the National Publicity Secretary of the APC.
Mohammed, according to the statement, said: “The attention of the Bauchi State government has been drawn to a statement credited to the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Lanre Onilu, in what he referred to as ‘proper proclamation of the Houses of Assembly in Bauchi and Edo states.’
“Mr. Onilu was also quoted as saying that ‘Rule of Law must guide us in whatever we do. We must end the Rule of Impunity.'”
The statement said that it is “perplexing” that Onilu got it all wrong, adding that “it is even more embarrassing” that the official of his calibre missed out completely on the facts of the matter.
It pointed out that it is incontrovertible that a constitutional proclamation was issued by Governor Bala Mohammed on the 20th June,
2019, in exercise of his powers as enshrined under Section (3) of Section 105 of the constitution of Nigeria (as amended).
It added that elections of the leadership of the House of Assembly were held in accordance with the laid down procedures by 13 members who formed a quorum, pointing out that only 11 were required by law.
According to the statement, what came out of the statements of the APC National Publicity Secretary was “another page from a complicit strategy book to continue to wage media trial and media war on Senator Bala Mohammed.”
It stated that his pronouncements were clearly “the voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau,” adding that it explains why Oyegun, a former National Chairman warned his successor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, to stop attacking Governor Obaseki or meddling in the affairs of Edo State House of Assembly.
It said: “We in Bauchi State are conversant with the APC National Chairman’s politics of arbitrariness, grandstanding and impunity which wreaked havoc to his party and the people of Zamfara, Rivers, Adamawa, Sokoto and Bauchi states.
“Mr. Onilu should be the last to speak about arbitrariness when his boss (Oshiomhole), who remains the proponent and champion of arbitrariness and impunity.
“His obnoxious selfish interest and bad leadership style has brought so much misfortune to his party nationally. Mr. Oshiomhole wants to spread this malaise to the government and people of Bauchi State.
“We may have our differences as a people but we are politically mature to resolve them amicably. The APC chairman and his minders should leave Governor Bala Mohammed and Bauchi State alone.”