GOVERNOR
ORDERS ARREST OF ATIKU'S POINTMAN
The battle
for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between
former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe
state is already causing ripples with the arrest of Honourable Ibrahim Bage,
the Gombe State Coordinator of the Atiku Care Foundation (ACF) on Thursday
morning allegedly on the orders of the governor.
Bage, it was
learnt,was arrested by the officials of the Department of State Services (DSS)
in Gombe, who seized his personal belongings including phones, laptop and
camera.
He was later
whisked to Government House, Gombe, where he met with the governor who
allegedly warned him to desist from sensitising members of the public on
Atiku’s presidential ambition.
The
governor, it was learnt, told him the activities of the ACF in the state is
illegal since he (Dankwambo) also has a presidential ambition on the platform
of PDP like Atiku.
According to
Bage who spoke in a telephone chat with INDEPENDENT, “The governor told me my
activities as Chairman of ACF in Gombe state is illegal. He said we are
disturbing the peace of the state and we are inciting people against him by
marketing Atiku Abubakar through distribution of items to the less privileged.
“He asked
me: ‘Are you not aware that I have presidential ambition in 2019?’ I told him I
was aware sir but ‘I am not in anyway constituting any hindrance to your
aspirations’. I also told him ‘our organisation is not illegal’. It is a
registered organisation, which is philanthropic in nature and I have a copy of
the certificate.
“I also told
him in all our dealings, we have always carried the security agencies along. We
have never embarked on any programmed without first informing security agencies
and we have never for once de-marketed the governor before the people of Gombe.
“He warned
me to be careful and later asked the DSS officials to allow me to go. As I
speak, my laptop, camera and phones are still in the custody of the DSS,” he
said.
In a
statement on Friday by ACF’s National Director, Media and Publicity, Chief
Sunny Onuesoke, the Foundation said it condemned the arrest of Bage on the
orders of the governor, saying such action is inimical to the growth and
sustenance of democracy in the country.
“Our
attention has been drawn to the barbaric, unlawful arrest and detention of the
Chairman, ACF, Gombe State by Gov. Dankwambo.
“Gov.
Dankwambo’s actions are inimical to the tenets of democracy for freedom of
association as enshrined in our constitution as a nation.
“We condemn
this action in his entirety and called on Nigerians to come out and voice their
displeasure over this dictatorial actions of Gov. Dankwambo of Gombe State.
“We also
call on the DSS and other security agencies in the Country not to allow
themselves to be used by selfish politicians who go about terrorising innocent
and law abiding citizens.
“Hon.
Ibrahim Bage was arrested by DSS and brought before Gov. Dankwambo who ordered
Bage to support his (Dankwambo) Presidential Ambition come 2019. Bage was
reported to have declined the Governor’s “order”, stating that ACF is a
philanthropic organisation that is extending Atiku’s care to the less
privileged and IDPs.
“Personal
belongings of Hon. Bage including phones, laptop, camera were reportedly seized
by the Governor and his government officials,” the statement said.
A credible
source in the ACF said Atiku has already been briefed on the development.
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