Shola Yemi, Bauchi
Barely 24 hours to the program, more controversies have continued to trail the 21st memorial anniversary of late leader and crusader of the Sayawa nation, Baba Peter Gonto as Bogoro LGA chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dissociated itself from the programme.
Gatekeepers News reports that the APC, in a statement signed by Istifanus Manasseh, APC Chairman, Bogoro LGA, stated that it backed out from the programme because its members were sidelined ab initio by the organizers who it claimed are purely PDP members.
In a statement titled ‘A MEMORIAL EVENT ORGANIZED IN HONOUR OF LATE BABA PETER GONTO OF MWARI, BOGORO L.G.A, BAUCHI STATE: THE APC BOGORO L.G.A POSITION ON THE SAID PLANNED EVENT’ the party wrote: “Sequel to the above-captioned event scheduled for Friday, 31st December 2021 purported to have been in honour of Late Baba Peter Gonto hitherto believed to have been sponsored by a Convener, the Zaar Development Association (ZDA) and some family members of the Late Baba Gonto, our attention as committed members of The All Progressives Congress (APC) Bogoro L.G.A is hereby drawn to the following findings/observations”
According to it, “APC Bogoro LG notes with dismay that as against a community event, the event is actually a PDP rally in disguise meant to boost the image of the failed government of Gov Bala Mohammed” .
“This, the heads of security Agencies confirmed to Žaar youths leaders when they invited them to Bauchi for a meeting and we have noted with concern how desperate Gov Bala Mohammed is to ensure the event takes place at all cost and even at the expense of our lives. This is most unfortunate”, the APC claimed.
It further stated that, “No wonder all the event planners are all PDP members and no APC stakeholder is invited to head any of the strategic event planning committees. Why did the event planners exclude APC stakeholders if it is a community event and not a PDP affair?”
“We equally note with concern that any time the Governor speaks, he often Pour crude insults on President Muhammadu Buhari who doubles as the President and National leader of our great party. We also note with concern the uncut language of some key event planners directed at the person of Mr President on various social media platforms”, the party further claimed.
According to the APC, “One key event planner, wrote: “When a good man is on de throne de people rejoice, but when an accursed person is on the throne the people groans, God has rejected Buhari, his kingdom has been scattered, not until Buhari leaves office nothing will stop killing in Nigeria. De land had been desecrated”. Quoted as written by him.
The APC, therefore, stated that, “From the totality of our assessment, the event is purely a PDP rally. The fact is even more glaring judging from the patronizing letter of invitation Baba Gonto’s children wrote to the Governor”.
“Our conclusion is that since the event is entirely a PDP rally, the APC family in the community will not participate as we cannot glorify a platform that is meant to be used to pour more insults on our leaders. We are by this notice disassociating all APC members from the event and we wish to advise all APC stakeholders both at home, Bauchi and outside the state not to honour any invitation extended to them, in case they have been mistakenly invited to the event”, the APC concluded.
The party asserted that, “This is the position of APC Bogoro and we wish to forward same to our leaders and heads of various Security Agencies to note”.
