‘I Only Sponsored Them For Pilgrimage’ – Bauchi Senator Rejects Gov Mohammed’s Banditry Allegation

The Senator representing Bauchi South, Shehu Umar Buba has rejected the allegation from his state governor, Bala Mohammed that he supported bandits and sponsored them for pilgrimage.

The Senator, who is the Chairman, of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence in a press statement released by his Legislative Assistant, Hassan Gajin Duguri on Friday, described the governor’s petition to President Tinubu as “both laughable and regrettable.”

The senator accused the governor of being responsible for his ordeal in the hands of the traditional rulers after his chieftaincy title was withdrawn and described Mohammed as being desperate, warning the governor that he would not be intimidated.

The statement said, “As the Senator representing Bauchi South in the National Assembly, Senator Buba has endured Governor Bala Mohammed’s arrogance, excesses, and unbecoming behaviour, which includes unfounded fabrications stemming from the senator’s defence of the President against repeated disparaging remarks.”

The statement accused the governor of “not only orchestrating the withdrawal of Senator Buba’s chieftaincy title but also employed political proxies to undermine his standing within the state. Such underhanded tactics reveal the governor’s desperation, and the senator refuses to be intimidated.”

The statement further said it is not a surprise that the governor took action by sending a petition to President Bola Tinubu even though the petition contained falsehood against him.

The governor had reportedly accused the senator in a letter to the president of sponsoring one Abubakar Idris, a suspected bandit, and Zainab Aliyu Gado for pilgrimage through a supposed Senior Legislative Aide to the Senator with the name Yahaya Ibrahim.

The statement while denying the accusation clarified that, “Senator Buba does not have a Senior Legislative Aide by the name Yahaya Ibrahim.

“While it is the responsibility of security services to conduct due diligence on potential Hajj pilgrims, Senator Buba sponsors numerous individuals for the pilgrimage each year, based on recommendations from elders, community leaders, and religious figures.”

It added, “We are aware that Hajiya Zainab Ali was thoroughly screened and permitted to perform Hajj, whereas Abubakar Idris was arrested for further investigation without any interference from the senator’s office.”

The statement stressed that, “As Chairman of a crucial Senate committee, Senator Buba has actively championed initiatives aimed at counter-insurgency and anti-banditry, which are beginning to yield positive results.”

The statement accused the governor of waging “a political war against Senator Buba and others who dare to question his leadership style and arrogance.”

The statement from the aide said, “In 2019, when Bala Mohammed faced political challenges, Senator Buba personally introduced him to then APC Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, through Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

“However, just months later, the same governor turned against President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Tinubu, and the APC at a PDP campaign rally in Bayelsa State, showcasing his ungrateful and duplicitous nature.”

“Senator Buba remains resolute in denying these baseless allegations and reaffirmed his commitment to serving his constituents and ensuring the security of the nation.

“He is known for positively impacting the well-being of his constituency by providing scholarships, facilitating skills acquisition, and empowering youth and women.

“Additionally, he is recognized for his contributions to infrastructure development, poverty reduction, and the provision of social amenities and palliatives to mitigate the effects of petrol subsidy removal, among other commendable initiatives.

“Regardless of the Governor’s sinister intentions, he cannot halt the winds of change gathering strength in Bauchi.

“His days of unbecoming and unethical behaviour are numbered. The momentum for change has already begun, and no amount of blackmail will deter or intimidate my boss,” the statement concluded.

‘I Only Sponsored Them For Pilgrimage’ – Bauchi Senator Rejects Gov Mohammed’s Banditry Allegation is first published on The Whistler Newspaper