TROUBLE BREWS IN GOODLUCK/SAMBO CAMP

Friday, March 04, 2011
•Goodluck
Following his alleged refusal to denounce the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, the Coordinator of Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation in Bauchi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, may have incurred the wrath of the state government.

According to sources, following the minister's accusation of the governor of poor leadership, Umar and other members of the campaign organization were ordered to condemn the minister for anti-party activities. But the coordinator reportedly refused to carry out the order, saying it was against his conscience.

The minister last week while receiving members of the state House of Assembly, stated that he would not campaign for Governor Isa Yuguda, but limit his efforts to President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo. He said Yuguda has failed by turning Bauchi into a pariah state and therefore does not deserve his support for his re-election plan.

He stated that the governor excluded him and many other PDP stakeholders in the state from participation in the state's political process. Others allegedly sidelined by the governor include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and the immediate past governor, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu.

Angered by the minister's allegation, people believed to be agents of the state government allegedly summoned Umar, and directed him to refute the statement and lambasted him for working against the President's interest. But Umar was said to have spoken out against the directive, saying that the minister had not done anything against the PDP or the President.

Umar said that the minister made it clear that he would work hard to ensure that the President recorded at least 70 per cent of the votes in the state. Umar said this did not amount to anti-party activities.

Sources said the agents of government promised that they would make sure that he (Umar) and his supporters did not have a space to operate in the state for daring to disobey the order.

Umar threatened to resign his position. He said that rather than condemn Mohammed who has been supporting the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation, he would resign and leave the rest to Allah. He accused the state government of starving the organization of funds, and sabotaging campaign efforts.

Umar was said to have fled the state following serious threats to his life allegedly from the same agents of government. The minister has since set up an independent committee to coordinate the Goodluck/Sambo campaign group, having realized that the state government was not doing anything to improve the political fortunes of the President in the state.