A group, Southern Borno Leaders of Thought has faulted a claim that the deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha was fraternizing with the former governor, Ali Modu Sheriff and as such would not receive the support of Biu people in the 2015 electioneering.
The Biu Progressive Youth Forum has in a press statement published in some dailies this week urged the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima against picking his current deputy, Zannah Umar as running-mate in 2015 because of what the forum had perceived as his (Zannah)’s fraternity with the former governor, Ali Sheriiff whom the forum said had marginalized Biu people during his eight years reign in the state.
But another group, the Southern Borno Leaders of Thought, in a statement signed by Alhaji Abdullahi Shettima, chairman and Mr Steven Msheliza, secretary said the claim of the Biu Progressive Youth Forum was misleading, ill-inform and capable of heightening tension and causing confusion in a state that is just experiencing relative peace.
“We were amused by the claim of a faceless group that called itself Biu Progressive Youth Forum in some national dailies yesterday. We would not have reacted to the claim as contained in the statement purportedly authored by equally faceless persons but for the deliberate attempt of the so-called forum to mislead the public, cause confusion and heighten tension in our dear Borno State which is currently enjoying gradual return of peace.
“We believe it is not only uncharitable but inhuman for anybody to start raising any dust in Borno now regarding 2015 because our people are just recovering from the pains and anguish of the crisis that has claimed many innocent lives and several properties. The purported forum demonstrated its ignorance of the mood and the feeling of Borno people as clearly shown in the statement and by claiming that the state deputy governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar was fraternizing with the former governor, Ali Modu Sheriff. Whatever that means to them is unclear to us because both Sheriff, the incumbent governor, Hon Kashim Shettima and Zannah Umar are members of same political family and our illustrious sons. Should they be fighting themselves at the expense of the development of our state? the group queried.
It said though, it was not the official mouthpiece of the Borno State government, yet believed the Deputy Governor, Zannah Umar Mustapha would not have “fraternized” with the former governor, Ali Sheriff as claimed, without the knowledge of Gov Shettima. It also described as unfounded, the allegation of marginalization of Biu as claimed by the forum, saying many development projects were executed in the last dispensation in the state.
“Therefore, we condemned the claim of the unknown forum. We believe it was the handiwork of some self-serving politicians who are trying to cause confusion in our state and slow down the steady progress our state government under the resourceful and humane leadership of Gov Kashim Shettima is making. We believe also that these people are unhappy about the emerging peace in Borno and are desperately looking for opportunity to throw pebbles where there are no squabbles and rather than coming out with pragmatic way of sustaining the relative peace in the state, they have elected to sow seed of discord in the government by advising the governor to abandon his deputy. We commend the relationship existing between the governor and his deputy,” the statement added.
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