Bala Faults President’s Address, Says He Did Not Consult Governors

By Stephen Asaba-ase

The Executive Governor of Bauchi, Mr Bala Mohammed has expressed his dissatisfaction over the President’s recent nationwide broadcast, stating that no consultation was made with state governors before addressing Nigerians.

Congress news learnt that, the governor seriously lamented on the president’s speech, stating that the President’s speech did not reflect the reality on ground, that there is a big disconnect between the government and the citizens in the country.

The governor while addressing journalists at the end of the emergency security council meeting held at the Government House, Bauchi, on Monday, noted also that the Bauchi state government will declare 24-hour curfew in Katagum LGA starting on Monday due to the escalation of crisis in Azare, headquarters of Katagum, where kidnappers and other criminal elements took advantage of the protest to destroy and loot the Government House Annex and the house of a former deputy governor of the state, broke shops, and made away with people properties.

However, Mohammed also said when he was asked by men of the fourth Estate, what does 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 Mr President was very empty.

“It has a rather worse condition of things in the country, 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.

“All the President’s commanders, the Police commissioners, Brigadier commanders, we are working in synergy with all of them, instead, went and spoke in a manner that does not salvor the bitterness of the youth.”

Meantime, the vandalization of government properties in Katagum LGA was uncalled for in a demonstration.

“The state government had an extensive close-door meeting with the security council that brought stakeholders, including security agencies, traditional and religious leaders to ease the situation

“Mine administration will not allow the ongoing nationwide protest against bad governance, tagged #EndBadGovernmentinNigeria, to escalate.

“Therefore, I urged citizens of the state to remain law-abiding and take precaution and give peace and stability in the state.

“The peaceful protest is a clear demonstration that the government at all levels had failed in the discharge of its constitutional and statutory responsibilities”, he added.