Zoning: Face your alleged corruption charges first before attacking Bala Mohammed, Northern Youths tell VoN DG, Okechukwu

A Northeast Youth Democratic Vanguard have backed the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed over his position on the controversial zoning arrangement of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC.

The youth group also berated the Voice of Nigeria (VON) Director General and APC chieftain, Mr Osita Okechukwu, over his recent comments attacking Governor Bala Mohammed insisting that the governor has the right to hold an opinion on any crucial matter including the issue of zoning.

It will be recalled that Governor Bala Mohammed recently said the zoning arrangement adopted by the APC does not pose any threat to the PDP in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

But in a statement by the NYDV led by Istifanus Darius and Malek Zulum, the group alleged that the VON DG was only using the Governor Mohammed’s statement as a ploy to divert attention from his woes at the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a case of N1.3bn, he allegedly diverted.

According to the statement, “Mr Osita Okechukwu, an unrepentant supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, was detained by the anti-corruption commission over an alleged case of conspiracy, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds, charges he has faced in a weak and unconvincing manner.”

The group’s leadership further reminded that the DG’s party remains in total disarray, having not elected a National Working Committee, resorting to eternal postponement of a convention, perpetuating ‘do or die’ politics, and championing of fighting dirty to achieve their end goals.

The group noted that rather than salvage his sinking party, Mr Okechukwu, is attacking a principled leader like Bala Mohammed whose track record of service is peerless.

“People should remember that it was Bala Mohammed as a fearless patriot, in opposition, who moved the Doctrine of Necessity in the Senate, making Goodluck Jonathan acting President.

“Such a political act and feat was more comparable to those constructors of the zoning convention the VoN DG holds so high in esteem.

“With a distinguished civil service career before that, Bala Mohammed also exhibited a strong record of leadership and management through diversity and gender inclusion during his tenure as FCT Minister.

“As Bauchi Governor, his transformation work is astonishing, acknowledged by his peers as revolutionary.

“To tarnish the person of Governor Bala Mohammed with words like deceitful, duplicity, selfish, and failure, is obviously Mr Okechukwu holding up a mirror to his own abject tarnished reputation.

“The VoN DG is therefore strongly advised to desist forth with from his most unsavoury attacks on a man of destiny like Bala Mohammed.

“His Excellency’s declaration ahead of the People’s Democratic Party’s primaries that he will work tirelessly for the party irrespective of the outcome, is an attribute of his selflessness as a political leader.”

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