By Lola Idahosa, Kaduna
Kaduna state governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero on Tuesday stopped a meeting between Southern Kaduna traditional chiefs and Vice President elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has said.
Osinbajo was in Kafanchan to meet with various stakeholders especially the traditional rulers.
The Director General of Kaduna State APC Campaign Council, Mr. Ben Kure told journalists that the Vice president elect was denied the opportunity of interacting with the traditional rulers in order to know their problems.
“Osinbajo was in Kafanchan to meet with critical stakeholders such as traditional rulers, Christian leaders, academia, youth and women leaders ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. We don’t know what happened, but the traditional rulers were stopped from meeting the vice president elect,” Ben Kure said.
Though the Kaduna State governor’s spokesman, Ahmed Maiyaki dismissed the claim, describing it as untrue, Ben Kure said the over 20 traditional rulers drawn from eight local government areas were on their way to the palace of the Chief of Kagoro, venue of the meeting, when they received the governor’s instruction.
“Some chiefs were already in the vicinity when they received signals warning them against meeting with Osinbajo,” Ben Kure said adding, “The programme was that Osinbajo will first of all, meet with the traditional rulers before church leaders. And we have notified them and they were ready to receive our in-coming Vice President.”
“The meeting was to pay homage and intimate them of what the in-coming Muhammadu Buhari government has in stock for Nigerians irrespective of religion, ethnicity, region or political interests.
“To our surprise, we received a message that the governor has stopped the meeting and cautioned them to return to their domains. The monarchs complied with the warning, aborted the meeting and proceeded to their palaces,” Ben Kure said.
“The same governor three weeks back stopped the President-elect from holding a campaign at Murtala Square Kaduna. And he is now trying to embarrass his Vice President. Are the people of Kaduna state and their traditional rulers slaves of the governor? It is quite unfortunate that Kaduna state is now under an individual who is above the law and ruling with impunity.
“He should know that the people of Kaduna state are free people with the right of free association and choice. He will not force people to vote for him, it is a democracy and the voice of the people must be heard,” Ben kure added.
When contacted, Kaduna State governor’s spokesman, Maiyaki said it was untrue that the governor stopped their meeting.
Maiyaki said: “APC (leaders) are just desperate to discredit the governor. It is not true that the governor stopped their meeting. They are just being mischievous.”
Meanwhile, the Vice President elect was able to meet with other critical stakeholders, urging them to support the government.
Osinbajo said thatf Buhari will run a government for all, urging them to support the APC.