Taraba 2023: Hausa-Fulani Groups List Reasons Why Bwacha Should Not Be Governor

·       Demands Apology

•Why We Endorsed  Bwacha- Abdulrazak Mahmud

 The Coalition of Hausa-Fulani socio-cultural groups in Taraba State has advanced reasons why the Deputy Senate Minority Leader and Senator representing Taraba South, Dr. Emmanuel Bwacha, should not be elected governor of the state comes 2023, saying Hausa-Fulani interests would not be protected under his watch.

A chieftain of the group, Ardo Muhammad Jibo, who spoke to our correspondent in Jalingo during a press conference said: "Taraba needs a governor with proven record of fairness and non-bias to all ethnic groups in the state, but Bwacha fall short of that, known history shows that Senator Bwacha is unfairly biased to the Hausa-Fulani in Taraba state."

The Convener of the group, Hon. Tukur Isa Yerima, had earlier faulted the purported endorsement of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha by a Hausa-Fulani group called Bwacha-TAN and led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Engr. Ahmed Yusuf Gamaliya.

Yerima while calling on the general public to disregard the purported and misguided endorsement said "those people are not in any way representing the interest of Hausa-Fulani in Taraba State and we are urging them to write and apologize to Hausa-Fulani Nation with immediate effect.

He said the Hausa-Fulani people in Taraba State have not forgotten the political antecedent of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha.

Yerima added that Senator Bwacha lacks the moral values, focal and formidable ground to aspire for Governor in Taraba State, describing him as "a sentimental and segregation type, who hides under the umbrella of religion to achieve his selfish goals. 

He said: "If you may recall vividly, in 2015, the same Senator Bwacha said Hausa-Fulani have no any political relevancy in Taraba State and described them as migrants, thus, he mastermind the polarization of Taraba politics into ethno-religion sentiment, enmity and hatred among the peace loving people of Taraba. What we expected from Senator Bwacha and his allies is to apologies to Hausa-Fulani race in Taraba State."

Backing up Yerima's statement, Ardo Muhammad Jibo who is an official of Tabbital Pulaka in Takum Local Government Area, also accused Bwacha as a Senator representing Southern Taraba with a sizeable number of Fulani residents of denying Fulani residents and communities of quality representation and dividend of democracy.

"We challenge Bwacha to name any Fulani community in the Southern Zone where he has done a laudable project since he has been a Senator for over a decade. We also challenge him to release list of Fulani's he has help secured Federal Government jobs and appointments since he was elected a Senator.

"Bwacha have always undermined the interest of the Hausa-Fulani not only in Southern Zone but in the entire Taraba State. So it is an aberration for any group masquerading as Hausa-Fulani to endorse him for Governor. The real Hausa-Fulani in Taraba State knows that Bwacha will not protect their interest if elected as Governor," Jibo said.

He further accused Senator Bwacha of always neglecting and not airing grievances and plights of the Hausa-Fulani's in Southern zone on the floor of Senate as he does on issues concerning other tribe in the zone 

"Why was Bwacha quite when thousands of Fulani cows were bombed by military jet in Takum? Why didn't Bwacha speaks about it on the floor of the Senate for us? When Fulani's were attacked and their cattle rustled, did Bwacha discussed it in the Senate?

"Has Bwacha ever condoled with the Fulani's over their loss nor did he offer any assistance to them as their Senator? Recently when Bwacha donated vehicles to some traditional rulers in the Southern Zone, which Fulani leader did he gave vehicle to? Which Fulani event has Bwacha honored and supported as a public officer? 

"We don't want to talk about Bwacha roles in various crises involving Fulani's. How many Fulani has Bwacha facilitated employment for? Is there any Fulani among the aides of the Senator since he was elected? How will we allow such person to govern a multi ethnic state like Taraba when we can see what he is doing as a Senator to the Fulani's?

 

"Bwacha has never supported the Fulani interest in the history of his politics, even in wards where Fulani are the majority in the Southern Zone, Bwacha has always supported emergence of other tribes as councilor," Ardo Muhammad Jibo told our reporter.

 

 Why We Endorsed  Bwacha- Abdulrazak Mahmud

The convener, Bwacha-Tan Group  Abdulrazak Mahmud said  they are joining other like minds in the state to call on the Senator to contest for the governorship seat of Taraba state in 2023 because of his outstanding leadership qualities.

He said, "In Bwacha, we see a worthy leader with experience, human kindness and a deep knowledge of power politics.

"Hence our appeal is for him to contest the governorship seat of Taraba state in 2023 because Bwacha is detribalised and has the ability to move Taraba to an enviable status.

"Our goal as a group is to campaign, sensitsze, advocate, organise and mobilise not less than 50,000 Hausa-Fulani across Taraba state to vote for Senator Emmanuel Bwacha come 2023."