Yesterday, I raised concern over the APC strategic retreat held in Abuja and organized by the Niger state APC Governorship candidate, Honorable Umar Mohammed Bago. Only for me to receive a call from the Governorship candidate this afternoon telling me he was disappointed with what I wrote and that if he wants to hold a meeting or retreat in Abuja, is it my business to tell him where to do his retreat?
I told him that I am not telling him where to do his retreat but raising an opinion over holding the retreat in Abuja and it is an opinion which echoes the thoughts of several people and which as a Journalist I am supposed to do.
He then said I am becoming a ‘prophet of doom’ saying that I am casting a spell on them and I should be careful with what I report and that he is calling me to order. He also said that I am playing party politics.
This is where our politicians always get it wrong. When a Journalist is being objective, they try to attach political meaning to it. They do wrong things and expect everyone, even Journalists to look away and not say anything.
I stand by my question, what is wrong with Niger state (as big as it is) that the so-called strategic retreat cannot be held in the state? We have New Bussa, and there is Kontagora, Bida, Suleja and other towns where they could have held this retreat but they didn’t. The question we are asking is why Abuja?
What I expected our APC Governorship Candidate to say is that Justina, it was held in Abuja because of this or that or this. Explain to me so that I will be able to explain to the thousands of Nigerlites who are wondering why you are holding such a retreat in Abuja and not calling me to tell me to be careful of what I report and say that he is calling me to order. I am sure we are not in a autocratic dispensation where someone cannot state her opinion.
While he was speaking, there was someone in the background who was saying that there are ways to handle this. So I am wondering what ways they want to handle this. But I am watching and I expect those who read this to also watch and wait on how they want to handle this.
For those who didn’t read my post yesterday, please kindly read it and please point out the part the APC Governorship candidate claimed I am ‘casting a spell on him’.
Yesterday’s post: What would happen at the end is usually seen at the beginning. When I saw the story about APC holding its strategic retreat in Abuja, I wonder what message the Niger state APC especially the Governorship candidate is trying to give to the people in the state.
Is it that Niger state is not good enough for such a meeting to be held? We know the amount of money that would have gone towards this program in Abuja whereas, in Niger state, the state government has places it can use for free, thereby putting the money spent in Abuja to good use in the state.
This is such a negative move and indication to the state and as I always ask, I hope we are not going to have another roving Niger state Governor.
#NigerState
Asishana is Minna-based journalist
