Dogara seeks sultan’s intervention in controversy with Bauchi governor

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, has asked Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, sultan of Sokoto, to intervene in an “unnecessary controversy” between him and Mohammad Abubakar, governor of Bauchi.

In a letter dated March 29 and addressed to the sultan, Dogara alleged that the Bauchi governor instructed the caretaker chairmen and district heads to not allow the renovation of mosques in his constituency take place.

The speaker said he embarked on the renovation of the mosques in the bid to further “cement” the peace in his constituency after years of “ethno-religious conflicts”.

He said the caretaker chairman and district head have begged the contractor not to renovate the mosque in Bununu town over fears that they will be sacked.

“I write to solicit for the support, understanding and intervention of his eminence in helping tackle an unnecessary controversy over the renovation of some mosques in my constituency,” the letter read.

“I undertook these projects in account of popular demands from my constituents and in furtherance of my resolve to encourage the healing of wounds generated by years of mistrust amongst the populace due to recurrent ethno-religious conflicts in the area and to further cement the burgeoning peace premeating the entire constituency.

“However my attention has been drawn to an unwarranted action taken by the Bauchi governor, his Excellency, Alh M.A Abubakar who has instructed his appointee caretaker council chairmen and district heads in my constituency to ensure the contractors do not renovate the mosques.

“A case in point that has come to a head is that of renovation of Bununu mosque. Both the caretaker chairman and district head are begging the contractor not to renovate the Mosque to save their jobs as they have been told that they will be sacked if they allow the mosque to be renovated.

“A rude and bitter lesson for him is the suspension of the district head of Dull – some few kilometres from Bununu town, whose suspension was effected by the council on the orders of the governor just because he celebrated the inclusion in the 2016 budget of a road facilitated by me that will bring his district of obscurity.”

While calling on the sultan to wade into the matter, Dogara also pleaded with him to ensure that the district head of Dull is restored.