The North East Youth Progressive Forum has faulted the protest staged by some youths and women in Bauchi state on Monday against the Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
The youths and women led a protest against Dogara over “his failure to visit the state to commiserate with victims of the recent windstorm and Azare market fire for over one month.”
Blueprint reports that the demonstrators, who carried placards, chanted anti Dogara songs and trekked from Wunti roundabout in the state capital, to Bauchi Emir’s palace and finally terminated their procession at the Government House, Bauchi.
The youth forum in a press statement signed by its chairman, Comrade Aliyu Ladan and Secretary, Mr Bulus Gambo, a copy of which was issued to our correspondent yesterday however described the protest as a plot by the Speaker’s opponents to dent his image and personality.
“Dogara is the most popular and most highly successful politician at the moment, not only in Bauchi state but in the whole of North eastern region, but unfortunately some desperate politicians engaged the services of some hopeless and unscrupulous youths and women to stage a rally in Bauchi town in order to dent or blackmail the humble image and personality of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara,” the statement said in part.
The group also alleged that there was another plan to attack their political mentor by hired thugs when he comes to the State to commiserate with victims of the two incidents.
While urging the security operatives in the state to provide adequate protection to the Speaker whenever he visits the state and deal decisively with political thugs, the group noted that Dogara never preached violence to his supporters.
