Yuguda’s Supporters to Merge Ahead of APC National Convention, Says Aide

Sunday Okobi

Supporters of former Bauchi State Governor, Malam Isa Yuguda, across the country working for his emergence as the next national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are to merge soon into one uniform national support body in order to actualise their dream ahead of the party’s forth-coming national convention in February 2022.

The former Special Adviser to the governor on Political Matters, Hon. Abdulmumin Kundak, who disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday, said the move was in swift response to the increasing number of loyal groups of supporters springing up across the country since the former state governor accepted calls to run for the office.

He noted that bringing together the various support groups across the country rooting for the former minister of aviation had become necessary to properly coordinate their activities and programmes towards pushing his candidacy to every nook and cranny of the country and in the Diaspora ahead of the national convention of the party slated for Abuja.

Kundak, a one-time chairman of Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), said their plans to collapse the several campaign groups working for the former governor into one huge umbrella body were being fine-tuned by a high-powered committee comprising academics, politicians, professionals and eminent persons from across the country.

According to him, “We are overwhelmed by the tumultuous support for His Excellency, Malam Isa Yuguda, whose entry into the race has virtually changed the dynamics of the contest judging by the huge confidence and backing which his candidacy has garnered in the preliminary weeks of our subtle shuttles and campaign.

“We have heard talks in the conventional and social media that Yuguda’s candidacy is now a subject of animated discussions in top influential political circles. I can confirm to you that it is true. We thank God for this because it is only the Almighty Allah that gives power to whomsoever He desires. We are touched that his acceptance is gaining ground by the day.

“That is why we want to ensure that we run a well-layered, highly coordinated issue-based series of campaign that add immense value to the general image of our great party in line with the noble dream and ideals of the founding fathers of the APC. A major plank of our robust conversations and engagements across board is the need to inherit and further create a party that deepens the noble legacies bequeathed by President Muhammadu Buhari on account of his goodwill.”

The former aide added: “We are instituting a process that collapses all our campaign groups into a uniform body with proper layers and channels that ensure that as we campaign for our candidate, we also campaign for the party as the most credible platform that could continue to make life more meaningful for all Nigerians irrespective of sex, status, region or religion.’’

Kundak described his boss as a very sellable candidate to all ethnic groups and nationalities in the party, contending that his tenure as a former governor was widely adjudged as outstanding and reputable for its bold and audacious non-indigene policy,“among other many people-oriented policies that made Bauchi State the preferred destination for persons from all walks of life.

“Yuguda administration abolished contract appointments for Nigerians from other states who got permanent, pensionable and sustainable jobs as well as lucrative political appointments in the state.”

He further disclosed that Yuguda is fondly called the architect of modern Bauchi State owing to the several developmental strides and initiatives he brought to the state such as water-tight security of lives and property, the Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi State University at Gadau, among others.

He said that there was also the mysterious death of one Mrs. Uchechi, who was then in charge of the Project Implementation Unit for the Ring Road Project.

“It can be said that the killings and other forms of violence across the state, including November 3, 2021, abduction and disappearance of five NELAN engineers, are politically motivated and sponsored,” he said.

He maintained that the only crime of the five engineers was supervising the Ebonyi Ring Road Project and ensuring its execution and completion within the stipulated timeframe and in accordance with the prescribed or agreed standards.

The NGO, therefore, called for unbiased, detailed, and conclusive criminal investigations and civil inquiries into the Ebonyi Ring Road Civil Engineers’ abduction and disappearance.

“While the Bureau of Intelligence and Force Criminal Investigation Department is called upon to ensure detailed and conclusive criminal investigations into the dastardly act, it is also our call on the National Human Rights Commission and other relevant bodies to take up the aspect of civil inquiries into the crime,” the NGO said.

It also said that efforts must be made to rescue the abductees if still alive or recover their remains if slain in captivity as well as identify and fish out the real culprits and their sponsors no matter how highly placed.