… Vexes botched attempt to join APC
By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has noted with displeasure that the federal government’s new tax policy or system is deliberately designed or calculated to impoverish the toiling poor Nigerian.
The Governor tasked the Tinubu-led federal government to critically review the tax law which, he argued, is full of impurities, to impoverishly load it over poor Nigerians.
He said, “The federal government should look into that tax system, in spite of all the impurities, they are going ahead to implement the policy to impoverish the common man, the sub-nationals quietly”.
Senator Bala Mohammed was responding to an award of honour, Safety Ambassadorship Award bestowed on him by the Institute of Safety Professionals, which ceremony held at the Bauchi Government House Wednesday.
Governor Bala explained that Bauchi state people are living in peace irrespective of political differences among them with the sole sim of promoting democratic governance.
“The APC-led Federal Government think that they can use the courts, the institutions of government like the EFCC to persecute and prosecute Nigerians that are not within their party”.
The Governor frowned, “If they don’t stop this, we are going to declare war. I assure you we are not going to keep quiet any longer. I won’t allow anybody to criminalize me because I’m not in their party”.
“Any I refuse to join their party, and I will not join their party. My family members, my officials are being taken like anything, lock up without any guinea reason”.
He started, “This award inspired me to talk, I didn’t want to talk, but we still have hope in the public courts, and in Nigerians. I thank this institute for the opportunity, and I assure you it’s not going to make arrogant”.
“Our humidity and modesty will continue, we will use small things and do things, and leaves legacies and landmarks that will make Nigerians proud, and no Jupiter will stop us from doing these things”.
Kauran Bauchi also stated that they don’t need anything more than good governance, Nigerians should be bailed out of poverty, there should be reduction in paying”.
“We are ready to support the Presidency and the federal government to work because we are federalists. We have enjoyed the support and patronage of the federal government, the international community and the Development Partners because they believe in our template, in our good governance and the way we utilize resources”.
The Governor asserted, “It’s not only the federation account that we are using, we improved our internally generated revenues, and we are getting alot of money from the international community, and we are utilizing it very well”
“We have built our health system, our primary education, we are reducing the prevalence of out of school children. We have been given award three times by the federal government, on Rural Development, Urban Development, and Good Governance”.
“And they are teasing us, what kind of paradox be this, what do they want us to do, what they wanted us to do is to join them, we would not join them. If they want war, I say we will give them, if they want peace we will give them peace”.
Turning to the award bestowment, the Governor said that he didn’t know it’s a big thing until the eloquent presenter spoke, saying he is receiving the award. You see the ironies of life are full of uncertainties, so much ambiguities, issues that comes bog one another are there, seeing both negative and positives of life.
“I was just waking up to an occasion where I was told that Iam being accused of terrorism, as a governor, someone who is at the head of the opposition. My commissioner has been kept by the EFCC”, he added.
“Even when I have immunity as a governor, my name was stupendously mentioned in a motion, in a court of law. In Nigeria, me Bala Mohammed who is recognized without my inclave for this kind of recognition, God is wonderful”.
Bala further remarked, “I don’t have to say anything
[02/01, 14:24] MUHAMMED KAWU: Bala further remarked, “I don’t have to say anything, I don’t even have to go to the public court, but certainly, politics. But with this kind of people around, Mr Malqui and his colleagues, there is still hope in the country”.
Bauchi Governor wondered, “Whatever anything one does to denounce you, to prosecute you, somehow God will bring someone to absorb you of blames of persecution”.
“Because with the little resources with the work we have done in Bauchi, somebody will accuse us of arbitrariness. This is the country where 51 percent of the resources is being taking by the federal government. In my state, they have not provided one kilometer of road”.
They have not provided water, even the security agencies, I’m the one paying them to work for us, and they have the guts to talk. This is a country where when you worked, you become a belliyod, an idiot”.
Kauran therefore puts it succinctly thus, “I have kept quiet for too long, just for peace and security, because as politicians we should not overheat the polity, but I’m not a coward. I’m just keeping quiet because of the common people, you don’t have to denounce, denigrade people before you ascend to power”.
Presenting the award earlier, a management staff of the Institute of Safety Professionals, Dr. Yusuf Haruna described as unprecedented the developments in Bauchi state”.
Haruna said, ” On behalf of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, the Governing Board and the entire membership of the professionals of over 7, 000 across Nigeria, I was ask as a life member of the institute to come and say thank you for being a leader, for being a father, thank you for carrying along the citizens of Bauchi state”.
He told the Governor, “The Institute ask me as a northerner, how is this man performing. I said, I’m very proud to say that this man fears God. Your Excellency, your eyes are eagle eyes, your thoughts are outside the box always”.
“You are one of the Governors in the North, that is why the award was carefully chosen to be an Ambassador. On behalf of the President and Governing Board, we want to thank you for creating anabling environment for Donor Agencies in Bauchi to come in and impactfully touch the lives of the people.
Dr. Yusuf Haruna enumerated four cretaria for choosing an Ambassador by the Institute as Occupational Health, Safety which has to do with the well-being of citizens, Environment as heritage handed over by forefathers, and Security of lives and property of citizens.
However, a reaction by a staunch member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi who prefer animominity said that Governor Bala Mohammed has become a wounded lion looking for a safety landing.
According to the source, Governor Bala had on three different occasions approached the Presidency in Abuja seeking for a hole of accepting him into the country’s ruling party, thereby putting a condition for allowing to contest senatorial seat in the forthcoming general elections.
The source further revealed that Governor Bala has had a sledge hammer from notable Bauchi politicians residents in Abuja who through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu kicked against his acceptance into the ruling party.
The Bauchi, Abuja-based APC juggernauts argued that should Bala be accepted to cross-carpet into the APC fold, he would canningly exhibit anti-party activity to meddle against the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.
The source also told this reporter that the governor has even clandestinely approached the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in the quest to perfect his political ambition of pitching tent with the party, but to no possibility.
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