The endorsement of the deputy governor of Nasarawa State, Dameshi Barau Luka as the consensus candidate of the Mada tribe of Nasarawa has been kicked against by a group of youths, who described the endorsement as “kangaroo”.
The deputy governor is seeking to contest the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Luka defected to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress, APC, shortly after the merger by the legacy parties to form APC.
Governor Al Makura and his deputy were elected on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC
According to the youths, the 16-man group of elders, who met earlier in the week to select Luka is a group of clergymen led by the deputy governor’s own pastor.
Daily Trust reported that the group insisted that the clergymen were only carrying the wishes of their candidtate and that it does not reflect the mind and aspiration of the Mada people.
The leader of the youths, Musa Ibn Dan Galadima said: “There was never a time that Mada elders met to discuss who to become governor of Nasarawa State, not to talk of a consensus candidate.
“The said Kangaroo meeting was held at the instance of a certain PDP governorship aspirant whose pastor assembled a team of clergymen that are favorably disposed to him. It has come to our knowledge that they were financially induced. One may wonder whether the so called clergy Mada council of elders is a platform for choosing a candidate to be the governor of Nasarawa State.
“From the information gathered, we were made to understand that the meeting held was by some selected clergymen who are very close to the state deputy Governor, Hon. Damishi Barau Luka, they did that just meet to favour him but to cause disunity among the Mada nation,” Galadima said.
The youths insisted that “any decision that will be taken in regards to Mada nation must be held under the leadership of the Mada Development Association, (MDA) and the Mada stakeholders and not a group of selected clergymen who are out to do the bidding of their master.
“It is our strong belief that no religious group can win an election in Nasarawa State standing alone in the contest. Therefore, any attempt to bring in religious sentiments will be vehemently resisted by the Mada nation. We therefore once again call on all Mada sons and daughters at home and in the Diaspora to disregard this attempt to deceive the public”.
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