SAN FRANCISCO, March 22, (THEWILL) – Shuwa Arab communities in Borno State have been called upon to vote enmasse for Governor Kashim Shettima in the April 11 governorship election in the state.
Making the call at a media briefing at the weekend in Maiduguri, the state capital, spokesman for the Shuwa Arabs, Babagana Malamari , said the call became necessary as Shettima had shown himself as a leader with a heart and does not allow ethnic or religious consideration determines his decisions.
Leading over a thousand Shuwa Arab community leaders at the auditorium of the Borno State Hotel, Mamalari said the recent position of some people claiming to be representing the Shuwa Arabs was ill-conceived and based on financial gains.
Calling on the people not to be misled by the antics of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he dismissed the allegation of the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Mohammed Imam, that Shettima has been marginalising the Shuwa Arabs in terms of projects and appointments.
According to Malamari, “Our attention has been drawn by an allegations made by the Shuwa Arab Imam Campaign Organisation that the APC government is being selective and not compensating and assisting the Shuwa Arabs victims of Boko Haram insurgency.
“The allegation that the government of Governor Kashim Shettima is tribally sentimental is malicious and unfounded, this administration is led by detribalised Governor who considered all citizens of Borno in its projects and appointment.”
Dismissing the allegations against Shettima further, Mamalari said they have Ambassador Ahmed Jidda as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), six Shuwa Arabs as commissioners and permanent secretaries, as well as many others as advisers in the service of the state government.
He noted that those making the allegations were “just a handful of individuals who claimed to represent the Shuwa Arab ethnic group in the state,” adding “ they were just trying to represent the interest of their political masters for economic gains.”
Debunking the allegation that the state government did not compensate Shuwa Arab victims of Boko Haram, Mamalari said the state government has given N100 million compensation to the victims of insurgency in Kala-Balge and N8million each to victims of insurgency in Gulumba and Banki villages of Bama local government.
