By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz
Yola
There seems to be no end to the war of words between the federal government and the Governor of Adamawa state, Murtala Nyako, over the spate of attacks by the Boko Haram sect with the former describing the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, as a tragedy.
Nyako, in a memo to Northern governors, had accused the federal government of genocide against the people of the North.
But in response, some officials in the Jonathan’s administration reprimanded the governor, with the latest coming from Maku, saying the comments by the governor were irresponsible.
But Nyako responded that: “The likes of Labaran Maku represent the tragedy that has befallen Nigeria as a nation. Their views on governance and manifest actions clearly prove the gutter level public policy has descended to in today’s Nigeria”.
Nyako, who spoke through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Malam Ahmad Sajoh, said Maku betrayed the calling of his office by his remarks.
“For anyone given the responsibility to manage information to advice that people should be silent means that under such leadership sycophants and sundry charlatans are the only citizens’ required.
“An information minister calling on people to keep quite in the face of wanton lies, serial deceptions and series of unanswered questions is undoubtedly a tragedy.
“We shall not keep quiet until those who danced while we were mourning answer for their insensitivity
“Labaran Maku and all the pretenders in the corridors of power will one day account for their deeds good or bad and that they should be reminded of both the inevitability of an end to their positions and the vanity of power.”
The governor also said unlike Maku, who kept mute when innocent citizens were gruesomely murdered in Keana, Nasarawa State, or scores of security personnel were gruesomely butchered by his kinsmen, “we shall not keep quite when a convoy of marauding murderers pass through military checkpoints and operate for many hours unchallenged at night during curfew hours in states that are supposed to be under emergency rule.
