The lingering battle between the Arewa community in Delta and its representative in the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan-led government has taken a new dimension since the community called on Governor Uduaghan to immediately sack their representative in his government, or forget their votes for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during the October 15 local government election and the February 14 2015 general elections.
Addressing the press over the weekend, the Arewa community, spoke through three of its members, said that Governor Uduaghan has continued to turn deaf ears to their call for the sack of his Special Assistant on non-indigenes, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur, for allegedly hijacking political appointments for his wife, relatives and cronies, as well as cornering all that is due them from Delta state government.
The Arewa community also accused Alhaji Tukur of corrupt practices, greediness and self centeredness, saying that failure to adhere to their call, they shall have no option than to embark on a mass protest vote during the council and 2015 general elections as well as shunning all government activities in the State.
Alhaji Ibrahim.B. Gero 111, the Sariki of Arewa community in Delta state and chairman of Northern traditional council of Delta state and Vice Chairman of South-South, South-East Northern traditional council, who spoke through, one of his subjects, Habib Mohammed Faruk, stated that they are only repeating what they have told the media few months ago as regards their earlier call for the immediate sack of their representative Alhaji Tukur.
According to the Sariki, “We have said it all the time you people came and everything said that time still stands, so nothing has changed. Right now our people are feeling very restive and agitated because the man representing us in Delta state government is not representing us but his family and cronies.
Delta State government did a very wonderful thing by taking one of us as a member of its cabinet but unfortunately the person they say is representing us, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur is not representing us but his pocket and family.
While lamenting what he called the absence of social amenities in the Arewa community, the community leader noted that, the only MDG’s water project in the community has broken down, no drainage system, no good roads, stating that all the promises, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan made during his visits to the Sariki, none has been fulfilled till date as they talk.
“In all of this, we still have a representative but nobody goes there to remind him. So, we are not been represented by anybody in the government. Most of the time when we have celebrations top government functionaries and the Delta state government do send materials to us and we are very much aware but the unfortunate thing is that these things don’t get down to us.
I will give you few examples, for instance during the last sallah, we are aware that the House of Representatives member, Hon. Ndidi Elumelu sent two cows to the Arewa community, the same Alhaji Auwalu Tukur diverted these two cows to his house and gave to few people he wanted.
“The Speaker sent about 15 bags of rice and other materials to the Arewa community, instead of bringing it to the palace of the Sariki of the Arewa community; he diverted these things to his house.” Faruk also alleged that, four pilgrimage slots given to the Arewa community by the state government were hijacked by the Special Assistant and gave to his daughter, wife, his brother and the sister to his mother.
Also adding his voice, the deputy to the Sariki of Arewa community, Alhaji Madaki Amin stated that there are many things that may have been given to the Arewa community through its representative in Delta state government, but none gets to the people. According to Alhaji Amin, they know that government partners with the Arewa community through gifts and other materials but alleged that they are always hijacked by the SA and his wife.
“I have said this time without number that this same SA hijacked all the Arewa community appointments and give to his wife and today his wife is a member of the Muslim Pilgrim Board, his boy is the councillor representing the Arewa community in the Oshimili South local government, the Hajj slots from government to the Arewa community, the SA hijacked and gave them to his people, the daughter, his wife and those that are close to him are those that are benefitting from the government.
Alhaji Amin also lamented what he described as the neglect of Arewa community by the state government in the areas of social amenities stressing that they lack electricity, drainage system, transformer even as he noted that though they are aware that the state government was trying its best.
He stated that till date, all promises made by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and other politicians, have not been s been fulfilled. According to him, the Sariki needs a car because the only one he had was bad following an accident the Sariki had and so many of their graduates have no work.
“We want the government to change our representative before the election. Since 1999 till date the SA has been in government and we have not felt impact of government in the Arewa community. He was a former council member, twice board member and twice SA now and the wife is also a board member.”
Alhaji Amin however reiterated his call for the firing of the SA as well as the scrapping of the Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board, saying that for the past years, none of the core Arewa community members have visited the holy ground of Saudi Arabia for prayers which he described as the most important thing any Muslim needed in his life.A former councillor in Oshimili South local government council who represented the Arewa community, Alhaji Hareal Imam Rabiu called on Governor Uduaghan to immediately replace the Arewa community representative in his cabinet. Alhaji Rabiu who is also the chairman, South-South Grassroots PDP members of Arewa Community; disclosed that before now he had led a delegation to the state government on how to tackle the problems facing the Arewa Community in the state but till date nothing has been done.
Reacting to all the allegations levelled against him by the leadership of the Arewa community which he represented in Delta state government, the Special Assistant to Governor Uduaghan on none indigenes, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur, debunked all the allegations saying describing them tissue of lies without any iota of truth.
However, the SA, who had some time ago owned up that his wife is actually a board member of the Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board, disclosed that when the compilation of names were been carried out, her name was the only eligible woman hence she was appointed there.
Alhaji Tukur further stressed that all those complaining and calling for his immediate sack have benefited immensely from the Governor Uduaghan’s led government, especially the from the Delta State Micro Credit Scheme.
National Mirror
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