Ishola Michael
Reelected Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, has been advised to be magnanimous in victory by embracing his opponents to build a Bauchi State that they can all be proud of.
The advice was given by a former aspirant for the House of Representatives ticket for Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mohammed Aliko Mohammed.
Recall that Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir contested for and won the governorship election in the Saturday Governorship election under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Aliko Mohammed advised in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi, saying, however, that whatever the decision his party, APC, will take on the outcome of the elections is a welcome idea to him.
He said, “As a card-carrying member of the APC, we believe in democracy, and everybody came out, I think in the history of Nigeria, this one of the best-conducted elections.”
Aliko Mohammed opined that the election must have been characterized by some discrepancies here and there, adding that it is generally viewed as being free and fair.
According to him, “We have tried our best, we believe that our Candidate is still better, but the electorates have decided to choose whom they feel will serve their purpose.”
Speaking specifically on Misau LGA, where the APC Governorship candidate, Saddique Abubakar, polled the highest votes, Aliko Mohammed prayed that people of the area will not be victimized for exercising their franchise.
“It is a democracy, we believe that we spoke our minds, and we are now the proper opposition, but this doesn’t change us from being citizens of Bauchi state and it doesn’t reduce our rights or entitlements to getting benefit from Bauchi state,” Aliko Mohammed said.
The politician further insisted that “we believe that this is how democracy is strengthened, we believe that if everybody comes together and moves in one direction, then who will check the other.”
The former House of Representatives aspirant, while stating that Democracy is designed for checks and balances, promised to abide by the decision his party will take regarding the governorship election results.
“I don’t personally know what the stand of the party is now, but whatever decision the party takes in respect to this election, they have my backing hundred percent”, he said.
Aliko Mohammed added that the Governor, Bala Mohammed, and Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar are all citizens of Bauchi state who all contested with sole intention of making Bauchi state a better place.
“So, we believe that at the end of the day, we all are the better for it. We want to implore the Governor to reach out to his co-contestant and also take some ideas from him that have been raised”, Aliko Mohammed further admonished.
He added, “you know, one cannot be perfect, where there are areas of improvement, you can go ahead and take from there and improve. I am sure if he was the one that lost the election, the other one will also continue with the good projects that he has started”.
Aliko Mohammed called on the people of his Federal Constituency and the people of Bauchi state to accept the will of God and that whatever the decision the party takes, they will stand by it.
“Whatever decision the party takes, Alhamdulillah, we will stand behind it. The good thing is it is for the progress of Bauchi state that there is no accountability, and there is now an opposition that can put eye and mouth as to what is going on. This is just my own statement”, he concluded.
