Politics

Fulani Divided: Some for Buhari, others for Atiku

Published

8 years ago

January 8, 2019

Fulani groups in Taraba State were yesterday divided over their choice of candidates in the presidential and governorship elections in the state.

While one group pledged allegiance to the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidates, others drummed support for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at all levels.

At a briefing in Jalingo, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, adopted the presidential and governorship candidates of APC, Muhammadu Buhari and Sani Danladi.

State chairman of MACBAN, Sahabi Tukur, said the decision was reached at the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the association.

He said: “Taraba State chapter of MACBAN by the directive of our national body has adopted President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC as our presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.

“This decision was taken at the NEC meeting of our great association which we must transmit down at the state level.

“Our decision is not only a sign of respect for our leaders but also on the conviction and believe that President Muhammadu Buhari will fulfill his campaign promises, particularly enhanced security measures in the North East.”

Tukur, who listed the on going hydro power project in Mambilla, construction of Ibi Bridge and the domestication of the social investment programmes in the state as some of the scorecards of President Muhammadu Buhari in the state, also endorsed the gubernatorial candidate of APC, Sani Danladi.

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Meanwhile, a coalition of Fulani groups in their numbers, stormed Government House, Jalingo, in solidarity with the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar and Governor Darius Ishaku.

Spokesman of the Coalition, Mafindi Danburam, said they had a wrong perception on the government’s open grazing policy in the state.

Danburam, who noted that ranching was the best option for rearing cattle was, however, quiet on its support for the anti-open grazing law.

He said: “We have been at loggerheads with the governor for the past three years, which everybody knows. But we have come to understand that we lost a lot and our perception about the governor and his policies was wrong.

“The state legislature promulgated a law to stop open grazing in the state, which we went to court to challenge.”