Sarkin Fulani urges politicians not to divide Nasarawa indigenes along religious lines

Sen. Walid Jibrin says Nasarawa state is made up of Muslims and Christians in almost equal numbers and urged politicians not to do anything capable of dividing the state along religious lines.

Jibrin, the Sarkin Fulani of Nasarawa state, gave the admonition in a statement he issued and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday.

The septuagenarian was reacting to an allegation that some groups loyal to the state governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule were “pleading religious sentiment’’ after his election was annulled by the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

The tribunal, in a split judgement of two members to one, delivered on Oct. 2, sacked Gov. Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared Dr. David Ombugadu of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) the winner.

After the governor appealed the tribunal judgement, the groups were alleged to have launched a campaign that Ombuagudu, being a Christian, could not be governor of the state.

“Since the creation of Nasarawa State, the governor has always been a Muslim, and there has been no religious fight in the whole of the state.

“May I point out clearly that Dr. Ombugadu is a candidate of both Muslims and Christians in the state, and he has never shown any sign of any campaign against Muslims, even though he is Christian?

“After all, his deputy is a true Muslim from the North Central Zone of the state,’’ Jibrin said.

The Fulani leader and a Muslim devout assured that, if Ombuagudu eventually becomes governor of the state, he would be fair to all citizens, irrespective of their faith.

“During his campaign, Ombugadu donated vehicles to Islamic groups, JNI and NASFAT, and he also donated towards the building of many mosques in Nasarawa State.

“He also donated boreholes to mosques, markets, and churches for use by all,’’ he said.

Jibrin noted that Christain had emerged as the President of the country, along with Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“May I point out that those so-called groups of Muslims who are against Ombugadu becoming the governor of Nasarawa are never well-off people?

“They do not understand Islamic religion very well and never receive the total support of Nasarawa state citizens,’’ he said.

Speaking on the governorship election, Jibrin said Ombugadu won the poll and alleged that INEC manipulated the results in favour of the governor.

“Every Nigerian that followed the election online knew that by Sunday, March 19, in the morning, Dr. Ombugadu, from the upload on the INEC IREV platform, had already won the governorship election by a comfortable margin.

“We were all shocked by what happened because, up to this day, the results from polling units from Nasarawa State on the INEC IREV platform show that Sule lost to Ombugadu,’’ he said.

Jibrin contended that the Nasarawa people rejected the governor at the poll because of “lack of performance and empty promises’’.