Ministerial Appointment: Bauchi Political Forum backs Tafawa Balewa
A political pressure group, Dr Jhalil Solidarity Forum(JSF) has stated that following extensive consultations amongst stakeholders in Bauchi State, it has decided to give Dr Jhalil Tafawa Balewa its support and backing to represent the State in whatever capacity President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may deem fit.
This it said is for him to contribute his wealth of experience to the socio-economic and political development of the nation.
Chairman of the Forum, Alhaji Ali Ibrahim, who stated this at a well attended press conference organised by the JSF at the NUJ Press Centre,Bauchi yesterday pointed out that "after reviewing its position as well as extensive consultations with stakeholders in the state and particularly Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, the forum endorsed the nuclear chemist cum politician for any federal appointment the President Goodluck Jonathan administration may decide to extend to offer him.
According to him,'' the present administration at the national level needed persons with required clout and grassroot support to represent us at the federal level to contribute to the much needed socio-economic and political development of the country, and we believe among those few Nigerians whose contributions are not restricted to their states of origins alone is Dr Jhalil Tafawa Balewa''.
“He derives pleasure in touching the lives of the less privileged and has even contributed to the development of global research in the area of developing medicine in the United States', it said'.
Our Correspondent gathered that the Press Conference by the Forum had to take place after an earlier arranged political rally in honour of Dr Jhalil last Friday afternoon was stopped by the State Police Command for what it described as ''security reasons bothering on the threat of an attack that day by the dreaded Islamist Sect,Boko Haram''.
Hundreds of supporters and well wishers from in and around Bauchi metroplolis including those from Tafawa Balewa Local Government area who came in about 12 buses to welcome Dr Jhalil at the Bauchi Airstrip left the venue disappointed when information came that the rally had been postponed for security reasons.
However, the Chairman of JSF who said he read some political motive behind the postponement of the scheduled rally, declared that “ some people have resorted to name calling and campaign of calumny in newspapers, and this has become their main weapon employed to discredit anybody that has attained greatness in order to pull him down and this campaign of calumny is gradually extended to even deny someone that has excelled his parentage''.
According to him, ''the recent case in point is that which some people ,obviously out of envy are deploying arsenals to smear the image ,name and parentage of someone who has through a dint of hard work has attained the peak of his chosen career, Dr Jhalil Tafawa Balewa.
He said that medical practitioner ''is among the few citizens of the state who has initiated schemes and programmes aimed at bringing succor as well as better the lives of the under privileged especially in the areas of education{scholarships},youth, women empowerment and health, among others''.