By Timi Owolabi
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has expressed his disappointment over President Bola Tinubu’s recent nationwide broadcast, stating that no consultation was made with state governors prior to the address.
According to him, the President’s speech did not reflect the reality on ground, adding that there is a huge gap between the government and the governed in the country.
The governor spoke while addressing journalists at the end of an emergency security council meeting held at the Government House, Bauchi, on Monday.
DAILY POST reports that the state government declared a 24-hour curfew in Katagum LGA on Monday following the escalation of crisis in Azare, headquarters of Katagum, where hoodlums took advantage of the protest to vandalise the Government House Annex and the house of a former deputy governor of the state, broke shops, and looted properties.
Mohammed, when asked what he has to say about the President’s address, said, “I’m not a spokesperson of the Presidency but I certainly know that the speech of the President was very empty.
“It has rather escalated the whole situation because he would have listened to the governors who are his first line of charge, first line of commanders at the sub-national level so that we can give him what is going on because we also listen to our local government chairmen.
“All the President’s commanders, the Police commissioners, Brigade commanders, we are working together with all of them.
“However, they went and spoke in a manner that has not shown empathy or sympathy to the youth.”
Addressing the destruction of government properties in Katagum LGA, Mohammed said the state government had an extended emergency security council meeting that brought all the stakeholders, including security agencies, traditional institutions and religious groups to address the situation.
He assured the people of the state that his administration will not allow the ongoing nationwide protest against bad governance, tagged #EndBadGovernmentinNigeria, to escalate.
This is as he urged citizens of the state to remain law-abiding and exercise restraint by ensuring sustainable peace and stability in the state.
According to him, the peaceful protest is a clear demonstration that government at all levels has failed in the discharge of constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
