BAUCHI State governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, on Tuesday, made a U-turn on his earlier decision to withdraw his membership of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) as a result of the crisis that trailed the recent chairmanship election of theNigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), saying that he considered the appeals of Northern elders in order give fair representation to the region.
Speaking with journalists through the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Yusuf Musa Gumli, at Government House, Bauchi, Governor Yuguda stated that he initially took the decision to withdraw from the NSGFas a result of the injustice perpetrated during the last NGF election, in which the Rivers State governor, Honourable Rotimi Ameachi, was re-elected, as against the governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, who was earlier adopted by NSGF.
Yuguda added that he realised that there was no fair play within the forum when Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State conducted an open vote, which he said was not a fair deal.
“It is very disappointing that the political trend as it recently relates to the Northern States Governors’ Forum in its bid to elect a leader ended up in a tussle among the governors and it is a minus on their part.
“Before the election, the Northern States Governors’ Forum decided that Governors Shettima and Yuguda should step down in favour of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who happened to be the consensus candidate, but instead of sticking to the plan, thegovernor of Niger State, Aliyu Babangida compromised our position on the agreed candidate,” he said.
Noting that the unity of the Northern States Governors’ Forum was at stake, Governor Yuguda said that he felt he could no longer be part of the group, saying that this informed his earlier position to withdraw from the forum.
He stated that with the intervention of elders from the region, he decided to let go off his initial stance and was returning to the forum.
According to the Bauchi State helmsman, “I, however, decided to mend fences by letting go of the past and return back to the forum. Secondly, I have decided to heed the appeals from concerned elders in the North who want me to eschew sentiments and give fair representation to the North in the forum.
“As an obedient son, I have accepted their appeals and gone backto the forum. I have never taken sides with Jonah Jang, I was only working under the instruction of the NSGF so that Plateau State willbe the centre of the North,where there is fair representation,” he said.
Speaking on his ambition after leaving office in 2015 as Bauchi State governor, Yuguda averred that there was nothing wrong for him to aspire for the post of the President, Vice-President or even the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“There is nothing wrong for one to aspire for any position in the country so long as due process and legitimacy is followed,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the governor has dismissed allegations doing the round in the media that the Bauchi State government was instigating the crises in neighbouring Plateau State, submitting that it was wrong for the Plateau State government to hold Bauchi State responsible for itsfailure to address security challenges in itsstate.
He stated that Bauchi State had its own security challenges, which it never attributed to any state but was doing every thing within its limit tpo tackle them with a view to having a peaceful state and pursuing its developmental agenda.
“Bauchi State also faces its own insecurity problems and have never attributed blame to anybody. For instance, the state has been battling with the issue of Tafawa Balewa crisis for years and have step up to the challenge.
“If the state government is to make excuse for its failures, we will still be having crisis in the state and that why is until today, people can run to Bauchi State and find safety because the state accommodates everybody irrespective of tribe, ethnic and religion,” Governor Yuguda said.