Southern Kaduna elders tackle youths over deputy gov

There are indications that the controversies surrounding the nomination of the Peoples Democratic Party Chairman in Kaduna State, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, as the Deputy Governor of the state have deepened.

The Southern Kaduna Elders on Wednesday, asked the youth clamouring for a young man to be made the deputy governor, to keep quiet.

The elders described the Concerned Southern Kaduna Professionals, kicking against Bajoga’s choice as the deputy governor, as a “faceless” group that must be disregarded.

The elders noted that members of the group had no rights to accuse the deputy governor-designate of any wrong doing.

Mr. Barnabas Yero, who spoke for the elders, said it was unfortunate that the group “suddenly sprang up” after the death of Governor Patrick Yakowa to seek relevance and cause confusion in the polity.

Yero said, “We query the locus standi of the group to even question the happenings in Southern Kaduna political circle. Until the demise of Governor Patrick Yakowa, the group, Southern Kaduna Professionals, was unknown to both Kaduna politics in general, and to the people of the Southern Kaduna in particular.

“We can remember as well that the late Yakowa was also accused and criticised for accepting to serve as the Secretary to the State Government, simply because he was a one-time minister. But the same Yakowa rose to become a governor in the state, the first to be so elected from Southern Kaduna.

“Our worry however is that we wonder how Bajoga has betrayed the so called professionals from Southern Kaduna. These so called professionals are not known until after the demise of Yakowa.”

Yero added, “In the first place, the election of Bajoga as chairman of the PDP was not done by Southern Kaduna people alone, but the whole of PDP in Kaduna State.

“When Bajoga offered himself for election, he did not enter into any agreement with Southern Kaduna people or the so called professionals, that he will not accept any other appointment during his chairmanship in Kaduna State.

“Some people are concerned about age, and we wonder if the brain diminishes in performance at the age of 60 or 70. We know that President Obama is far younger than his deputy. And even if we come back home, Stephen Shekari (first deputy to ex-governor Ahmed Makarfi) of blessed memory was far older than Senator Makarfi, and both performed wonders. Let the young ones wait for their turn.”