BORNO 2015: GROUP ENDORSES IMAM TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR

By Ibrahim-Gwamna Mshelizza

The People's Vanguard, a non political group has yesterday endorsed Honourable Mamman Imam for the 2015 gubernatorial race in Borno state.

The group said, Honourable Imam meets their criteria for the calibre of a governor required to represent the troubled state in 2015, following the inability of the present administration of Governor Kashim Shettima to address or rather bring to an end the security challenges bedevilling the state.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Coordinator, People's Vanguard, (Borno State Projects 2015), Mr. Ijudical Fali and made available to Journalists in Maiduguri over the weekend.

Both are members of the newly registered/formed APC in the state, although they seem to be from different camps, as Imam is in Former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff's camp, while the other camp is being controlled by the incumbent, governor Kashim Shettima.

Honourable Mamman Imam, popularly known as Mamman millionaire and also a strong political loyalist of former Governor Ali Sheriff, our Correspondent learnt, was a one time Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), a commissioner and state Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, (ANPP) during the former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, now the leader of the APC in the north east.

The coordinator while commending governor Shettima for his giant stride in managing the Boko Haram crisis which had claimed many innocent lives and property worth billions of naira destroyed in the last three years of the present administration, however said, "Borno has been known to be the home of peace, but because of the selfish interest of some individuals who had resulted in covering and disguising under some motives to instigate the people against themselves, has aggravated the insurgency issue which has eaten up the entire state, giving room to those in positions to selfishly enrich themselves at the expense of the majority of the poor people of the state". Ijudical said in the statement.

"We reasoned that Honourable Imam is somebody who does not stir controversy and has proved himself worthy of understanding our values, aspirations and desires especially as it relates to our political challenges. We believe that he understands our pulse, knowing that Borno land which was a "Home of Peace" has not had its fair, as it is now known to be a theater of war, in which only Imam will confidently and genuinely address the situation by God grace. ' Ijudical insists.

He noted that, the group, ' Peoples Vanguard' which he coordinates is a non -political, but indeed, an interest and pressure group that will always stand by the truth and give support to whom the cap fits, irrespective of sentiments, and therefore called on the people of the state to rally round Honourable Imam in the forthcoming 2015 gubernatorial elections in the state, adding that, Imam is the only person who has a vision to take Borno to its promised land.