Open Letter To President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR On Your Proposed One Day Official Visit To Bauchi State

My dear president sir,

I want to begin by warmly welcoming you to your second home, Bauchi, home of the famous “A kasa, A tsare, A raka”, your political motto that was intensely and consistently been practiced by the electorate in Bauchi State. I wish to congratulate you and indeed Nigerians on the successes recorded by your administration particularly in the fight against the insurgency that is plaguing North East, where Bauchi State is located. It was here in Bauchi, during the 2015 presidential election, the lives of our brothers were cut short by overzealous security operatives while asserting the “A kasa, A tsare, A raka” in the defence of their votes against agents of the now rested PDP who tried to tamper with the will of the people of the state.

In the one year seven months life of your administration we have seen a lot of progress in areas of anti-corruption crusade; restoration of Nigeria’s lost glory in the comity of nations through improved foreign relations policies; restoration of our core moral values; and above all the concern you’re showing for the betterment of the lives of the common people through regular provision of financial aid to states in order to assist them offset their workers’ salaries and, bring about the necessary developmental projects.

Your Excellency, I’m writing this open letter to intimate you about happenings in Bauchi State since the coming of the administration of Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, the executive governor of Bauchi State, even though you have all the apparatuses to be informed at your disposal. There is a grand plan to deceive you into believing that the governor is working according to the cherished principles you’re known for.

For the past nineteen months or so, since he came to power, at virtually every month’s end, the governor has been unable to pay workers their sweat as at when due despite the huge regular financial aid Mr. President has been providing for that purpose. Knowing fully well that there is great disenchantment and palpable tension among the good people of Bauchi State particularly civil servants, the governor, in an unprecedented manner, settled (some) workers and pensioners their salaries. Prior to the settlement, workers and pensioners in the state were owed two to three months salaries, which the governor has always been claiming that the state was too poor to settle. While the state is too poor to pay salaries, she is not too poor to pay lump percentages to contractors as mobilization fees.

Empty promises were made to the workers more than once, more than twice, but fulfilling those promises was only at the instance of your visit so as to paint a deceptive picture of the realities of the sufferings of ordinary Bauchi civil servants. We are surprised as to how and where he got the monies to settle now.

Right now, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Bauchi State Chapter has sponsored a radio jingle that is being played at regular intervals on local radio stations, warning civil servants against staging any protest against the state government during your visit, to express their disenchantment with the governor. Who is arm-twisting the NLC? When did peaceful protest become an offence? I am afraid the state government in cahoots with the controlled NLC may decide to deal with workers who may defy them. Mr. President Sir, instances of human rights abuse such as this, which are not directly linked to you, are capable of incurring your administration international condemnation.

Your Excellency Sir, the city of Bauchi has never seen such a mass cleaning of refuse along major streets you’re expected to follow. Residents were asked to dump their refuse in the night along all the streets that Mr President is expected to follow from emirs palace to Ran road and Wunti streets etc, and sanitation workers clear the refuse in the dead of night. Colourful painting of the city streets and roundabouts was embarked upon, for the city to wear a beautiful new look, just for you to see and applaud.

The twin roads from Central Market to Ran road are currently being rehabilitated. Similarly, frantic efforts are now being made to complete road projects in Fadaman Mada, several months ahead of scheduled date of completion. All in an effort to impress you and make you believe that the governor is working.

Streets lights, which have hitherto been dead in the city, are now glowing with splashing beams particularly on the roads that Mr President will follow.

There is a mass donation of foodstuffs and cows to clerics and Islamic schools in the name of Maulud assistance, knowing that Mr. President may confer with the clerics during your visit, so that they will sing to you a praise song of the governor. Stakeholders, whom you also may likely meet with, were also lavished with special gifts in a never seen before manner, in order to douse the political tension that has been brewing in the state for long.

Efforts are also being made to hurriedly complete the houses purchased by the former governor Isa Yuguda administration at Turum, along Maiduguri road. Mr. President Sir, these 500 units housing estate, which the administration of Governor Mohammed Abubakar is claiming the credit for, and which you are billed to commission, are actually projects executed by the past administration of Isa Yuguda, as bad as it was.

Mr. President Sir, we in Bauchi need your fatherly intervention before this man collapse our state. As a matter of fact, Bauchi State is the most badly governed state in Nigeria today.

I wish His Excellency safe trip to Bauchi, and back to Abuja. I wish you a happy and hitch free stay in Bauchi.

Long Live Bauchi State

Long Live Federal Republic Of Nigeria

Long Live Mr. President

Yours sincerely,

Musa Azare

Wrote from Azare, Bauchi State