The Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence in Delta State on Monday warned opposition parties to desist from giving a bad name to a former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, for mobilizing for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.
The group decried the allegation that he stole the N24 million donation to the members of the group by President Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
Shortly after the group adopted the President for re-election in Asaba, Delta State last week, the former governor was accused of bolting with N10 million.
Another faction of the group also accused the Special Assistant to Governor Udaughan on Arewa Matters, of enriching himself with the N12 million from the grant given by the governor to host the rally.
A statement issued by the Secretary of the group, representing the organiser of the rally, Hon. Bawa Abdullahi, made available to The Eagle Online in Asaba on Monday, wondered why rival political parties engaged President Jonathan in pull-him-down campaigns.
Abdullahi categorically said the speculation was the handiwork of detractors who were intimidated by the endorsement.
While Abdullahi described as “spurious, unfounded, baseless and malicious” for anyone to think in such direction, he maintained that it only amounted to giving a dog a bad name just to hang it.
According to Abdullahi, such speculation is capable of tarnishing the image of the Arewa people and their leadership in the state in particular and Southern Nigeria in general.
The statement said: “The integrity of the former Governor of Sokoto state, Jagaban Yan Arewa, Alhaji Bafarawa who chaired the rally was never in doubt as records had marked him out distinctively as a man of honour, philanthropist, God fearing, who had contributed immensely to the development and growth of democracy in the country.”
He maintained that Governor Uduaghan’s aide (Tukur) has been loyal to his principal and has worked tirelessly for the growth of the Arewa community in the state, insisting: “The report was the figment of the sponsors’ imagination.”
Jonathan: Arewa refutes N24m allegation against Bafarawa, Tukur
