Pressure from all stakeholders in Bauchi state is mounting on the minister of the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed to resign from the federal cabinet and run for the governorship of the state in the 2015 election.
The pressure, according to a statement from his Special Assistant on media and publicity, Nosike Ogbuenyi, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stake holders, political pressure groups, non-governmental organizations, associations, youth and women groups as well as associates, friends and supporters of the Minister from across the 20 Local Government Areas and three senatorial districts of Bauchi State. He said that they all converged on the Bauchu state capital where he had gone on a visit at the weekend.
They asked the Minister to return home immediately and contest the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The stake holders and pressure groups insist that the FCT Minister is needed at home to transform Bauchi State the same way he transformed the FCT through his numerous people-oriented projects and programmed.
“The leaders who spoke with unison one after the other at an impressive gathering, included a member of the national Board of Trustees of PDP, Alhaji Kaulaha Aliyu, a former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Auwalu Abdu Gwalabe, Alhaji Babayo Ahmed, Sarkin Fada Miri, Alhaji Usman Banki, Alhaji Mohammed Yau Gital, Hon. Riskat (aka Baby) and others maintained that Senator Bala Mohammed was greatly needed to bail out Bauchi State from the scourge of under development, unemployment, educational backwardness and other challenges.
“At a massive rally attended by thousands of supporters of the Minister, speaker after speaker insisted that the minister that the FCT Minister must hearken to the call of his people to serve and deliver them from backwardness.
“They called on the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Ahmad Muazu and the State Governor, Malam Isa Yuguda to come out openly to support and endorse the Minister to contest the governorship on the platform of the ruling party.
“Speaker after speaker at the mammoth gathering debunked the insinuation that Bauchi South Senatorial district, where Senator Bala Mohammed hails from, has been zoned out of the governorship race, stressing that Bauchi is a monolithic state and that the qualities and track records of the individual aspirants should be the sole determinant factor and not geographical place of birth.
“According to one of the speakers, Alhaji Babayo Ahmed, they were very optimistic that the FCT Minister would accept their call to contest stressing that he is the only person that can easily coast to victory at the polls on the ticket of PDP.
“Alhaji Ahmed who is also the Katukan Misau said that there was no difference between the Bauchi Central and the Bauchi South senatorial districts stressing that the six Local Government Areas that comprise the Central District are part and parcel of Bauchi, Ningi and Misau Emirates which cut across the two districts.
“He described the FCT Minister as the most popular, acceptable and capable candidate that Bauchi State can boast of. He therefore enjoined him to quit the FCT Ministerial seat and return to Bauchi to serve his home people who are in dire need of his sterling leadership.”
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