Francis Orogu, Chairman PDP, Nasarawa State

Nkrumah Bankong-Obi/Lafia

The recent protest by some citizens of Nasarawa State in Lagos, over the purported sale of properties belonging the Nasarawa State government to some private individuals has been described as an attempt to blackmail a former governor of the State, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura. The State chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Francis Orogu made the assertion in Lafia while fielding questions from newsmen on Tuesday. “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 ofpolitical support they need on the issue of the tribunal, now, so they feel that the next thing is to hit him below the belt.”

Orogu described the protest as a faced and attempt by the government of Engr. Abdullahi Sule to arm-twist a man who is not giving the administration the support desired , as he grapples with his case at the electoral tribunal. “what is happening in Lagos, is another scam,” began Orogu who says his case against the privatization of government assets is in the court. “It is a political move to overheat the situation, internally. The sale of Nasarawa State property is not hidden. Everybody is aware that properties were sold by the former administration. It was open 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 own way. Everybody is aware but nobody made a comment.” he said

“A. A. Sule has spent four years in Government House, he never realised that property were sold until now that things have fallen apart. Al-Makura has been pushed out by the PDP by popular votes in the last election. Now A. A. Sule is being pushed out, maybe he needed more of support from Al-Makura’s team and he is not getting it, now this issue is coming up, trying to create the impression that this thing that has happened is a fresh. It is not,” he said tapping on the internal disquiet in the governing All Progressives Congress.

The opposition lesders in the State who said his views on the matter are based on his patritoc disposition and inclination to truth-telling reminded the people that “I am not on the same page with Al-Makura, you all know it. I stood against him and almost got him impeached because I was the chairman of Public Accounts Committee in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. Every information, every document, I provided it.

But I don’t do things because of malice, hatred or sentiment. I was doing that because that was the job the state gave me to do. Today as an opposiiion 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 averred 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? How many propeeties were sold? I have all the records, I am in the Appeal Court on this case. Nobody should has 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.

Orogu challeneged Governor Sule to tell the people who purchased the property in Apapa, also in Lagos, for a paltry sum as against it real market value “go and ask A.A Sule, who bought the property in Apapa that they sold for 80million naira. That is a property worth billions. Who bought it? Go and ask him. I have the records. Nobody can use anybody cheaply in this State because some of us are here. We have some of this information. And as far as I ma concerned, I am not working for anybody, I am working for my conscience, my rights, my belief and my principles. That is why I am standing firmly that democracy should be given a chance so that we can have a change.”