By Sule Aliyu Bauchi
The Human Rights Community in Nigeria (HIRICON) in collaboration with a political pressure group, (Gari Ya Waye) have heavily criticised Bauchí State Governor Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad for being intolerant of the opposition and meddling in the affairs of traditional institutions in Bauchi State
The groups, under the auspices of Lawyers For The Cause Of Bauchi (LAWBA), were reacting to the stripping of Senator Shehu Buba of his traditional title of Mujaddadin by the Bauchí Emirate for criticising the Governor.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Bauchi, the convener, Usamat Kabir Adam Esq, said as stakeholders, they express regret that the governor resorts to using traditional rulers to settle scores with the opposition who criticised his administration.
The groups said all citizens of the state should be concerned about the issues raised by Senator Buba, about how the current PDP-led administration has been handling the various financial and material interventions, support packages and measures taken by the Federal Government to ameliorate the suffering of citizens
“It is condemnable and a clear abuse of power rather than address the basic issues on the ground as highlighted by Senator Buba and other stakeholders, Bauchi State Government ended up proving the allegations leveled against it by its actions and inactions on the issues,” Kabir Adam stated in a text he read.
“We note with grave concern and warning that the decision by the Bauchi Emirate Council to withdraw the traditional title of Mujaddadin Bauchi earlier conferred on Distinguished Senator Shehu Buba and the reasons adduced for that has further confirmed a consistent pattern and habit of the incumbent administration to drag the revered traditional institution into politics”
They warned of the consequence of the governor’s intervention in the traditional institution making it lose public trust and confidence.
“In Bauchi State, available records has shown that the number of title holders removed or suspended apparently at the behest of the PDP led administration in its nearly six years in office is alarming,” he stated.
“So far among the cases of the holder of the titles of Wakilin Birni (May, 2021) , Jakkadan Bauchi (January, 2022), Wazirin Bauch (January 2023i, Kauran Ningi (November, 2023)and now Mujaddadin Bauchi are prominent,l examples, more than the number of such decisions taken by the six emirates in the state put together since independence.
“This is more when the focus is on suspension or outright removal having political undertones. Another valid point to observe which also lend credence to the fact that Governor Bala Mohammad is behind all these removals”
The groups lamented that virtually all the title holders involved belonged to rival political parties and the decision is taken after they engaged in open disagreement with the governor.
“This is most unfortunate. It is a bad omen as regards the role, status and estimation of the traditional institution in the eyes of right thinking members of the society and therefore the negative and most condemnable trend has to stop,” the state.
“In our view, therefore, the on-going assault on the revered stool of Emirs and the rich cultural heritage they represent couple with the sound values they symbolise must stop.
“One way of achieving this is for their Royal Highnesses to follow the example of some of their ancestors who in circumstances like the ones at hand will prefer throwing in the towel than to compromise the basic principles of justice, fairness and proper conduct.
“In the case of Bauchi Emirate, the situation is more serious when one recall the recent incidence of Tukuran Bauchi where it became so obvious that almost everything of what the Palace should do was done in the reverse for the same reasons as with the already highlighted cases.
“As such, we reiterate the call for our palaces to fight back by doing everything possible to redeem their image no matter what it may cost.
“After all, the Bala Kauran Bauchi-led administration will go with time but the stool if their Royal Highnesses remain.
“One therefore hopes that the wisdom in this wake up is not loss on all our traditional leaders in Bauchi State
“As other speakers and commentators have observed, Bauchi State government appeared to be chasing shadows as regards the real issues of concern.
“In a democracy, citizens are observant that the real issues is for the government to clear the air on the questions asked about the various support packages released to it for the benefit of its citizens by the Federal Government.
“Take the 70 trucks of fertiliser for instance. Here, the average citizen in Gamawa, Bogoro, Darazo, Alkaleri and the other local governments in the state are interested in knowing why it took until the blowing of the whistle before government admitted that the product which is vital in boosting farming activities has been received.
“Other questions are by commencing the distribution of the material a day or two to the local government election, will this not qualified as a sort of inducement and what guarantee is there that the exercise like most of the ones before it is tailored to benefit only members of the ruling party in the state notwithstanding that His Royal Highness the Emir of Jama’are sit as the Chairman of the Distribution Committee, what is the explanation between the figures of 70 trucks which the Federal Government is reported to have donated and the 42,000 bags put forward by the Committee, will the government follow the lead of President Bola Tinubu by distributing the fertilizer at no cost instead of the N20,000 per bag it was selling the fertiliser before and so on and so forth?
“Moreover, the way and manner in which Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammàd led administration is handling state funds including the truth about its spending and what have you raise more questions such that factual and verifiable answers are needed as a matter of urgency.
“We are talking of state resources here where every citizen of the state has a stake in it hence the need to know how his/her resources are being spent”
Therefore, the groups reiterated their call for the emirs to do everything possible to redeem their image no matter what it may cost, saying, “After all, the Bala Kauran Bauchi-led administration will go with time, but the stool of their Royal Highnesses remains.