The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State has raised concerns over the recent protest staged by some citizens of the state living in Lagos State.
The Nasarawa indigenes had protested to express discontent over the alleged sale of properties belonging to the state government.
But the PDP claimed the protest was an orchestrated attempt to tarnish the image of the former governor of the state, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
Francis Orogu, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, expressed this belief during a press conference held in Lafia on Wednesday.
Addressing the tension created by the protest, Orogu said what is happening now is just some people trying to blackmail the former governor.
Orogu said, “What is happening now is just to blackmail Al-Makura because he is not giving them the political support the way they want it. They are not getting the kind of political support they need on the issue of the tribunal so they feel that the next thing is to hit him below the belt.”
Francis described the protest as a mere gimmick and an attempt by the Abdullahi Sule-led government to exert pressure on a man who is not providing the desired support to the current administration as it grapples with its ongoing legal issues.
“It is a political move to overheat the situation internally. The sale of Nasarawa State property is not hidden. Everyone is aware that properties were sold by the former administration. It was public that properties of Nasarawa State were mopped and forwarded to the 8th Assembly. They sat, deliberated and hurriedly passed it, and these properties were sold in their way.”
“I stood against him and almost got him impeached because I was the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. Every information, every document, I provided. But I don’t do things because of malice, hatred or sentiment.
“I did that because that was the job the state gave me to do. Today, as an opposition leader, I am doing the same thing. What is happening in Lagos is just another team of boys mobilized to create room to indict an opponent who has finished his tenure and resting, I can even say resting in peace, politically speaking.”
He stated that Sule and his team “are only trying to bring him to book to show him that the little time remaining, if he cannot give them the needed support, they will fish him out. But the question is, is he the only one who bought the properties?
“I have all the records. I am in the Appeal Court on this case. Nobody should have given me one kobo. Some of them came from behind and wanted me to give them these records. I told them that my documents are not meant for blackmail, the intention is truth.”
The state chairman challenged Governor Sule to tell the people who purchased the property in Apapa, Lagos for a meagre sum as against its real market value.
“Go and ask A.A Sule who bought the property in Apapa that they sold for N80 million.
“That property is worth billions. The question is, who bought it? I have the records. Nobody can use anybody cheaply in this state because some of us are here and have some of this information.
“And as far as I am concerned, I am not working for anybody. I am working for my conscience, my rights, my belief and my principles”, he narrated.”
