From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
As 2019 comes closer, internal crisis continues to mar the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa State, as the serving Senator representing Jigawa North-East, Alhaji Ubale Shitu, told the people in the state that he will do all that’s in his power to challenge the serving governor, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru Abubakar’s ambition to run for second term.
The Senator, who said APC is not the only political Party in Nigeria, accused Governor Badaru of failure to deliver on his campaign promises to the people of Jigawa State.
The Senator dropped the hint at the weekend while addressing a crowd that gathered to listen to some of his achievements at the Millennium Park Garden in Hadejia, Jigawa State.
The Senator said: “I’m aware of the grand plan being perpetuated to substitute my position by this governor with someone against the popular interest of my people.
“Let me assure you that I’m obliging you not to panic. Don’t despair. I, Ubale Shitu, will personally draw the first blood by ensuring that Badaru did not get the votes that would return him as governor from this Emirate. I swear,” he stated..
He claimed that the governor of the state is doing nothing during his two years as governor, saying he must be changed by all means due to his hatred towards the Hadejia people, adding: “Wallahi, we would change him by any means possible in 2019.”
Senator Shitu also accused the governor of sponsoring youths to attack him in the media. “He has sponsored some bad elements to hold regular radio programmes against me, while instigating my people to mock me; and today, he said I have plans to set people against him at the Durbar holding at the Emir’s palace today,” he said.
The Senator’s outburst is coming on the heels of recent similar attack on the governor by a chieftain of the APC, Phrm. Ubale Hashim, who had also vowed to challenge Badaru at the 2019 governorship polls.
Shitu, like Hashim, have accused the governor of violating all agreed terms and principles that would ensure the unity of members that came from different political fronts to merge and form the APC in the state.
There has been speculations that the position of the senator may likely be substituted with the present deputy governor, Bar. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia who is serving out his second term as deputy governor of the state.
The Deputy Governor was a deputy for former governor Senator Ibrahim Saminu Turaki from 2003 2003 to 2007 under the then ANPP party.
All effort to contact the state Party Chairman of APC Alhaji Ado Sani Kiri on the matter but abortive.
