…Says it is capable of causing chaos, anarchy across country
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Northern group under the auspices of Arewa Think Tank (ATTAK) has noted that the recent reactions over respective comments made by the Vice President, Kashim Ibrahim Shettima and former Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa were outrageous and inciting, capable of causing chaos and anarchy across the country.
Vice President Shettima was quoted to have drawn a parallel of contrast between a Muslim and a Christian candidate during the race for Senate President, saying that it was only good for national stability and cohesion to consider a Christian.
The VP was also quoted to have added that a Christian candidate was preferable, no matter how pious in religion compared to a Muslim from the North.
On his own part, while speaking at the valedictory session of the 9th Senate on June 10, Senator Bulkachuwa who represented Bauchi North zone was quoted to have said that he infringed on his wife’s “freedom and independence” while she served as President of the appellate court.
His wife, Zainab Bulkachuwa, was the President of the Court of Appeal between 2014 and 2020. She retired from the court after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 70.
However, the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, addressed journalists at the weekend said the respective comments by Shettima and Bulkachuwa were handworks of fake news bearers who ran to town with a twisted and corrupted versions and blew them out of proportion.
His words: “Only recently the Vice President Kashim Ibrahim Shettima while harping on the exigency and beauty of inclusivity in national assignments drew a parallel of contrast between a Muslim and a Christian in the race for senate president, hinting that in the present arrangement of hierarchy of power -its only good for national stability and cohesion to consider a Christian, no matter how ungraded in pious religious consideration compared to a Muslim.
“No sooner had he said this than the brewers of confusion went to town with a twisted and corrupted version – choking the social space with confusion. The Vice President had to come and make public apology for the misrepresentation and misinformation raided on his harmless exhortation.
“Latest in the series of appalling opera of wilful misrepresentation and misinformation masterminded by few unpatriotic elements in our midst is the vindictive raid on the valedictory speech of Senator Bulkachuwa.
“The Senator feeling safe in the chambers of the Senate, completely unaware that unscrupulous elements had taken positions with their devices, attempted to drawing a passionate parallel on some ways he had assisted his friends through his wife, retired justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.
“Little had he even had the time to shed more light on the nature, complexion and manner of such assistance when he was stopped by the ex-Senate President -for the fear that mischief makers would make a feast out of it with choking cadence of misrepresentation and misinformation.
“His fears were confirmed because that’s exactly what happened. The undertakers of reputation and integrity wasted no time choking Senator Bulkachuwa’s uncompleted speech with damaging toxicity of uncomplimentary commentaries and exaggerated footnotes,” the group said.