(Photo: Gov Abu Sani Bello :In the eye of the storm)
A crack may soon hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger state following its indulgence in nepotism, ethnicity and marginalisation, a University Don, Dr. Yusuf Larry Ayuba has declared.
Ayuba who is a lecturer at Bowen University, Iwo, Osun state said that unless the Niger state APC learns from what is happening at the Federal level ,especially how the President Muhammadu Buhari sees everyone as his ,with him belonging to nobody, the APC in the state will soon self destruct.
Speaking to newsmen in Minna, the Don stressed that the overwhelming vote for change in the state should not be turned into family imposition at the expense of fairness, justice and equity.
Referring to APC’s attempt to gag one of its Senator, Senator David Umaru from speaking the truth about the way appointment were shared in the state, Ayuba said suppressing the truth would not help the party rather, it would destroy the goodwill the people have in them.
It will be recalled that the party had in a statement descended on Senator David Umaru of the Niger East Senatorial District for crying out loud against the marginalization of his constituency in the appointments made by the governor and the need to redress the injustice.
The lecturer blamed the party for being biased in handling the complaints from zone B of the state saying, “we all voted overwhelmingly for change and not family imposition. So we expect our leaders to be fair and objective over perceived injustices. The APC as a party does not belong to a family. I personally perceive marginalization in the light of what the Senator said as Zone B should have produced the SSG, at least to show fairness, equity and acceptance that change has come”.
“Simply because Senator Umaru has voiced his mind and observed the imbalance in the appointment of officials so far done by the Governor Bello administration does not mean he is alone in feeling that way. Many of us currently in the Diaspora and even those within Niger state with close watch over government activities share the senator’s position on the marginalization of zone B”.
He insisted that the office of the Governor, his Deputy and SSG were key positions that should have been seriously considered based on zoning, adding that there was no fairness when in the face of the existence of diverse ethnicity and socio-religious presence, the Governor and the SSG will come from the same ward as if there are no other competent persons from other zones.
“For God’s sake, this is democracy; things must be done according to the rule of law. A government (flaunting) the embers of change should be seen exhibiting such in its appointments. I am of the view that true change goes beyond nepotism, sectionalism, inconsideration for others. We cannot fan the (embers ) of Nepotism and expect that people will not talk.
Government must take everyone along and listen to every opinion so as to create balance and impartiality in the polity”, he said.
Ayuba then warned that a serious crack may hit the party unless the governor accepts to correct the imbalance.
