. . . Says Fulanis will vote for competence and capacity come 2023

By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A foremost Fulani group, the Coalition of Fulbe Professionals in Africa (COFPIA), has condemned the branding, by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, of the Presidential flag bearer for Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, as a tribal bigot that doesn’t like the North.

The group made the assertion while distancing itself from a statement credited to the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Alhasan Salah, which claimed to be against the candidature of Obi for the 2023 general elections.

It described the statement as sectional, and unpatriotic, saying that Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore is the most controversial Fulani group in Nigeria that is responsible for the bad name Fulani nation has been branded with in the country.

COFPIA urged Nigerians to disregard any statement from Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, stressing that the group (Miyetti Allah) did not speak for Fulani ethnic group or represent the Fulani in any way.

Alhasan, who is the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, had in an interview with a national paper, said that the Fulani nation would not support Obi's candidature on the premise that he represents the Biafrans interest.

His words as stated in the interview, “As far as we are concerned, we know those we cannot vote for. You see one that they call Obi or OBIdient, any Fulani man who votes for him must be questioned because he may not be a true son of the soil.

“Obi represents the Biafran interest. So, we know those we cannot vote for and those that cannot be president of Nigeria. He is a tribal bigot."

Alhasan claimed that when Obi was the governor of Anambra State, he "destroyed the businesses of northerners and chased plenty Hausa and Fulani people from entering Anambra.”

But the Fulani group, operating under the umbrella of Coalition of Fulbe Professionals in Africa, kicked against his claims, saying that Miyetti Allah does not have the right to speak for the entire Fulani in Nigeria,

A statement signed by Prof. Mohammed Gidado, its National President and Hajiya Mairo Modibo, National Secretary, respectively and made available to journalists said that though it acknowledge the Miyetti Allah’s right to freedom of expression and opinion, it would “remind them (Miyetti Allah) that they don’t have the right to speak for the entire Fulani in Nigeria, especially when they have not lived up to expectations.”

The statement partly reads: “Fulbe people all over Nigeria would not be bounded by that politically sponsored statement of Miyetti Allah.

“Our attention has been drawn to a sectional, unpatriotic, ungodly and senseless statement credited to one of our brothers, Alhajji Hassan Saleh, the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, the most controversial Fulani group in Nigeria, which no doubt, is responsible for the bad name Fulani nation has been branded with in Nigeria.

“The Fulbe all over Nigeria will not be bounded by that politically sponsored statement of Miyetti Allah anymore.

“The Fulani people are wise now and cannot be used as tools of extortion and religious sentiment any more. We will enlighten our people to vote for competence and capacity come 2023. We will never vote for any candidate who has nothing to offer. We have gone far beyond religious and ethnic sentiments.

“We will vote for a president that will tackle poverty, and acute hunger that have held our people hostage for so long. We will vote for a president that will fight insecurity with every commitment and unbiased mind, no matter who is in involved."

While urging Miyette Allah, to channel their campaign to redeem the bad image they have created for Fulani people in Nigeria rather than casting aspersions on Peter Obi, who has demonstrated capacity to rescue Nigeria from the current hopelessness, the group added,

“We wish to also make it categorically clear that we have not endorsed Peter Obi or any presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections and we are not Peter Obi’s mouthpiece, but it’s wrong for our people to continue to brand Peter Obi as a tribal bigot and that he doesn’t like the North.

“Available data has shown Peter Obi as an ardent nationalist that believes in the unity of Nigeria.

“We, therefore, call on our brothers in the Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, to only speak for their group, rather than misleading Nigerians that they are speaking for the entire Fulani people.

“They lack the moral, spiritual, and religious rights to speak for the entire Fulani people in Nigeria, especially when they have reduced themselves to tribal bigots that has no regards for other tribes and faiths,” the group said.

“Nigerians have taken position in the forthcoming election to vote for the best man for the job and cannot be distracted by any selfish agenda and blackmail.”

“As campaigns start, we shall mobilize and enlighten Fulani young and old to every ruga’s and town to sensitize our people so as not to be deceived by Miyetti Allah, Kauta Hore and its like.”

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