El-rufai’s Contrived Rapprochement With Southern Kaduna Clergy Is Shameless, Political – SOKAPU YOUTHS
The Oasis Reporters
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
With the gubernatorial election countdown to 2019 fast approaching, Kaduna state governor, Mallam Ahmed Nasir El-Rufai has set up an interface with the Southern Kaduna clergy by using late governor Patrick Yakowa’s Secretary to the State Government, Mallam Lawal Samaila Yakawada as special envoy.
Mallam Yakawada is said to be someone the southern Kaduna people could listen to.
To this, the Southern Kaduna People’s Union, SOKAPU, Youth Wing President , Nasiru Jagaba described the recent visit by Governor Nasiru El-rufai of Kaduna State’s newly appointed Counselor on Political Matters, Mallam Lawal Samaila Yakawada to Southern Kaduna clergy as “an act of shamelessness and it is politically energized.”
They are not impressed.
Mr. Jagaba made these assertions during an exclusive interview at the Union secretariat in Kaduna.
“As the socio-political umbrella of the region, the group has written-off the effort by the El-rufai government to pacify the clergy on the ground of it being politically motivated and not morally necessary,” he said.
Referencing the media insults El-rufai lashed at the Men-of-God from the region amidst the spate of barbaric attacks by Fulani herdsmen, Jagaba lamented that El-rufai’s “negative comments against our clergy in a well-televised interview without an apology to them”
“Now that a new electioneering period is just by the corner”, the governor launches the diplomatic offensive.
“All the damaging comments Elrufai made against our clergy in different fora such as the interview on one of the private Television stations are still fresh in our minds which we cannot forget in a hurry.”
He further added, “The visit by Yakawada was necessitated by the new political period, which is just by the corner” Jagaba said, “and El-rufai has set in motion a mechanism to reconcile with those he offended. If not for politics the visit wouldn’t have taken place.
To me, he is just trying to hoodwink the people of the region by penetrating the clergy.”
Jagaba insisted that El-rufai needs to retract the libelous statements ascribed to the clergy and openly apologize to them first. Seeking forgiveness via proxy is a clear case of contempt and disrespect.
“If the governor is serious about true reconciliation and forgiveness he should have taken a frontal approach by having a direct interface with members of the clergy, apologize to them while giving reasons why he made such a defamatory allegation against them.
But, sending Yakawada to pacify the clergymen is like regretting an act without being remorseful. We treat our clergy with utmost sense of respect and we expect El-rufai to do the same.”
