Sen.Yusuf is a catalyst for division, confusion says Gov. media aide.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Governor Darius Ishaku, Emmanuel Bello, has described Senator Yusuf A Yusuf as an agent for confusion in the ongoing communal clashes in Taraba state.
Senator
Yusuf, representing the Central zone of the state had yesterday addressed a press conference in Abuja where he alleged that over 50 fulanis and 20 cows had died in the fracas. Yusuf also said the state government is doing nothing to stem the tide of violence. According to him, only the federal government is doing anything at all.
But in a swift reaction, Bello said the senator is merely playing to the gallery and stoking up sentiments to probably get re elected in 2019.
Bello said the senator is only interested in deepening the crisis and not in getting closures. He said, “the senator is appealing to his base and playing the roles that he thinks his people expect him to play. He is adding lies to a cocktail of fictitious concoctions. He likes to play around with figures. The other day he announced one figure of casualties and now yesterday he announced a lower figure as if some of the dead had resurrected. But merging the figures of dead humans with that of cows is curiously strange and not in our culture. A beast life is important but not be elevated to th same level with humans.
In any case, when did he go round counting the corpses? Is he senator only to Fulani? Other tribes in Sarduana were not affected in any way? Is he better equipped than the police who has pegged the number at single digits? In any case, does the number even matter? Did he not hear what the governor said that one life is as important as the rest of humanity?
Why is the senator dancing a macabre waltz around corpses, instead of mourning? Why does he want to score cheap political points? The situation in Sarduana calls for leadership but from all indications, Sen. Yusuf is not offering that. He is biased, sentimental and provocative.”
Bello said Yusuf has always said and acted to display his tendency for division. He said, “I remember one time when he openly opposed Senator Emmanuel Bwacha in the upper chamber. Bwacha had said Boko Haram were trooping into Taraba and warned that the phenomenon should be checked. But this same Yusuf said it is not true as if he was the spokesman of Boko Haram.
He’s at it again now. Yusuf is never in the news for contributing to the national debate in the senate. We have never seen him advocating for development. But when the issue is controversial and capable of causing more confusion, that’s where you find him.”
The media aide stated further that Yusuf lied about the peace efforts of th State government. He said, “even his fans would be surprised at Yusuf’s charge that the state government hasn’t done anything to resolve the crisis.
Was it the federal government that immediately slammed a curfew in the area? What about the activities of SEMA in the place? Was that the federal government too? What about the visit to the area by top state government functionaries? People like Sen Yusuf are the ones causing trouble and trying to rope the governor in.
Is Yusuf aware of the budget for peace keeping in the area? Is he aware if the huge bill government pays for security not just in Sarduana but all over the state? He sits in Abuja and in the comfort of his mansion. It is up to the governor to ensure the state is secured.
Yet when Yusuf finds the time, he engages in a past time of accusing a man who is actually in the field and sweating it out. It is very easy and convenient to sit in Abuja, enjoy freebies, come home once in a while and then accuse the governor of doing nothing.”