The Borno Coalition for Justice (BCJ) has fingered Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State and his aides in an attempt to embarrass President Muhammadu Buhari during his visit to Maiduguri on Wednesday.
The coalition made this known on Thursday at a press conference to address the “despicable plot at embarrassing President Buhari by aides of Borno Governor”.
Speaking on behalf of the Borno coalition, convener Mohammed Ali described the gesture as “cowardly and insensitive”, an evidence of Zulum’s hatred towards the president.
As indigenes of Borno, the group recounts that President Buhari enjoys demigod status in the state owing to his giant strides which dates back to his military days and it is impossible for the same people to turn their backs on him.
The coalition said the handwriting of the governor, his predecessor and godfathers was all over the show of shame.
The Borno Coalition for Justice, therefore, advised Zulum to call his political aides to order and go a step further by tendering an unreserved apology to Mr President.
The group, however, pleased with President Buhari not to be perturbed and continue his drastic approach to insecurity by declaring a state of emergency on the state.
Read full statement below:
The attention of Borno Coalition for Justice has been drawn to the despicable attempt at embarrassing President Muhammdu Buhari, who visited Borno State for a condolence visit in the aftermath of the Boko Haram attack in Auno recently.
The Borno Coalition for Justice is indeed appalled by the display of hypocrisy by the government of Borno state for allowing street urchins under the sponsorship of aides and advisers of the Governor throw tantrums at the convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is indeed unsolicited and an indication that the government of Borno State is not appreciative of the numerous sacrifices President Muhammadu Buhari has made for the people of Borno State in ensuring that the Boko Haram insurgency comes to an end.
We wish to state that this display is cowardly and insensitive. It is indeed a continuation of the contempt which the Governor of Borno state and his immediate predecessor have for President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is also on the heels of the fact that it is no longer a hidden secret that the political godfather of the Governor of Borno State has been interested in one of the highest offices in the country and he has indeed set out machinery towards actualizing this in ways too numerous to mention, but including undermining the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in the fight against Boko Haram terrorist in North-East Nigeria.
We wish to state in unequivocal terms that this is indeed a part of the larger script that is aimed at promoting the interest of those nursing vice-presidential ambition at all cost and not minding whose ox is gored.
The Borno Coalition for Justice wishes to state that as in previous times, the Governor of Borno State must elect to be on the good side of history because no discerning mind in Borno State would attempt to boo President Muhammadu Buhari under whatever guise.
It must be stated that Borno State is one of the states that President Muhammadu Buhari has tremendous following since he was Governor of the state from July 1975 to March 1976. He has been at home with the people, and the people of Borno State adore him for his invaluable contributions to the development of the state.
The Borno Coalition for Justice condemns this puerile attempt and wishes to advise Governor Babagana Zulum to call his political aides to order as the people of Borno State would not condone any further attempt at embarrassing President Muhammadu Buhari under any guise.
We also wish to state that the hatred towards President Muhammadu Buhari must stop henceforth as it would serve no purpose in the long run because the people of Borno State sees in President Muhammadu Buhari a revered idol.
The Governor of Borno state must realize that the street urchins that they paid to cause an embarrassment to President Muhammadu Buhari would one day constitute themselves into a nuisance in the state.
We consequently demand that the Government of Borno State must tender an unreserved apology to President Muhammadu Buhari. The elders of Borno State must also lead a delegation from the state to apologize to President Muhammadu Buhari for this act of ingratitude and, indeed, a show of shame.