Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state has described the senator representing Niger East at the National Assembly, David Umaru, as a desperate politician that has lost touch with his constituents over his 2019 governorship ambition. Bello stated this at the weekend in a press conference in Minna in response to accusations of poor performance leveled against the administration by the lawmaker.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Ahmed Ketso, said his administration was focused and would not be detracted by Senator Umaru who has never respected any leadership of the state since the inception of democratic rule in 1999.
He argued that the recent outburst of the lawmaker over the second term endorsement by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a special congress was aimed at achieving cheap political goal, adding that people were already tired of the antics of the senator who never see anything good in what another person has done. “David Umaru has failed to build political structure since 2007. He has now resorted to using ethnic associations that have no political potentials.
These associations do not know David Umaru very well and this is why I am advising such associations to adhere strictly to the objectives of their registration,” the governor siad. He said Senator Umaru was attempting to disrupt the zoning arrangement in the state when it was clear that his Zone B constituency has completed eight years while Zone C was running its turn in the governorship rotation arrangement.
He said it was over ambitious for the lawmaker to attempt to fast forward the hands of the clock, adding that “for any person to qualify to contest to become the governor in 2019, he must come from Zone C as the zoning arrangement remains sacrosanct”. He expressed dismay that some critics including the lawmaker have turned blind eyes and deaf ears to the numerous achievements of his administration recognised by majority of the people clamouring for him to continue in offi ce beyond 2019.
