A group of Civil Society Organisations, Nigeria Civil Society Desk, has alleged that the governor of Bauchi state Mohammed Abubakar is behind recent protests by some Civil Society Organisations against Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
The CSOs led by the Coodinator Emeh Friday Eleojo, said information available to them indicates that governor Abubakar has paid millions of naira to some CSOs to organise rallies across the country against the leadership of the House.
Some Civil Society Groups under the banner of “Concience Nigeria” had organised protests in Lagos and Abuja where they petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urging it to investigate the budget padding allegation.
According to the Nigeria Civil Society Desk, “the protests in Lagos, Abuja and other places were organised by Mr. Tosin Kakaki Adeyanju who is the link man between the CSOs and the Bauchi state governor Mohammed Abubakar.”
“We have it on good authority that the Bauchi state governor was behind the two protests. He paid millions of naira to Tosin Kakaki Adeyanju to organise it,” the group said.
The CSOs who displayed pictures of the Bauchi governor with Mr. Adeyanju to as a proof of their allegation also said they are in possession of what they called “hard evidence” of connivance between the duo.
“Infact, as a mark of appreciation, governor Abubakar has now given Tosin N30 million ostensibly as Sallah gift but in reality, a payment to organize another such protest ahead of the resumption of the House from recess.”
The group which displayed pictures of Tosin along with governor Abubakar said they have established beyond reasonable doubt that the Bauchi governor is sponsoring another protest to be held on Tuesday when the National Assembly will resume from its annual recess.
They called on the Nigerian public to be wary of some CSOs who are sponsored by politicians to settle personal scores.
Reacting, Senior Special Adviser to governor Abubakar, Muhammad Sabo, denied the allegation, noting that the governor was not interested in the political crisis rocking the House.
Sabo stated that the Bauchi State Government needs more money to execute developmental projects and could not have spent such a huge amount on frivolity.
“How can a responsible governor spend such money on frivolity, when he is looking for resources to continue development projects?”
“The governor is not interested in the political problem of Speaker Dogara, he is not interested in the brouhaha, the Speaker should face his colleagues and sort out his problem,” he said.
Similarly, the executive director of Conscience Nigeria (CN) Mr Tosin Adeyanju also denied any form of inducement in the anti-Dogara demonstration.
“My only interest as a tax payer and a civil society leader is to rally Nigerians to ask for accountability as regards how NASS members utilise and draw up our budgets.”
“We are not motivated by any external motive because the allegations emanated from a member of the House who was a major player in the budget saga,” he said.
