By Idris Ahmed
This is the English transcribed sermon made in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, by Sheikh Abubakar Chiroma, on Friday 27/03/2015. Following this sermon, the Yobe state governor, Ibrahim Gaidam ordered him to be abducted and incarcerated. Nobody is able to contact him since his then. Nobody knows whether he is alive or dead.
“In the name of Allah, the most compassionate the merciful. There is this treacherous road (in Yobe state), which his Excellency himself had an accident plying over it. Now, this government has been in power for the past eight years. Instead of fixing this road and other important roads, the government went and embarked on a new road construction project in the middle of nowhere. This new road is in the northern part of the state. The cost of constructing it is so prohibitive that local revenue generated in that area over 100 years may not suffice to pay for it. They (Yobe state government) just went and built an expensive road for camels’ usage.
My fellow Muslim brothers, it is apparent that we do not have good leadership. Therefore it is up to those who are entitled to vote, to vote candidates of their choice conscientiously. The current leader (Ibrahim Geidam), has several issues. First of all, he abandoned his people humiliated and disenfranchised. Secondly, among his offences which are not befitting of a good leader is the fact that our people are oppressed. He (Ibrahim Geidam) is not approachable. Not even his advisers can confront him to tell him the truth about matters of governance. When the Nigerian masses said that they have had enough of Goddluck’s tyrannical regime, there were some among his advisers, people close to him, who approached him and raised the alarm bells. They told him the truth that he may not win the presidential election. When Jonathan inquired to find out why, they told him bluntly that his government is a failure. It did not serve the people well. Nigerians live in abject poverty, and some have even become refugees in their ancestral land. He (Jonathan) responded by asking the masses to pardon him. He promised to make amends if reelected as the president. Now, this guy (Ibrahim Gaidam) who is canvassing for our votes, what are his promises to make amends if he wins the governorship election? Nobody can confront him to tell him the gospel truth about his erring ways. He is just surrounded by bootlickers.
Another issue that he (Ibrahim Geidam) has is the fact that he does not like General Muhammadu Buhari at all. He made no effort whatsoever, to help GMB win the presidential election in Yobe state. He did absolutely nothing. Our position is a simple one. Anyone who does not like GMB, we don’t like him either. Furthermore, he (Ibrahim Gaidam) does not like Ahlul Sunna (Puritanical Muslims). The only Muslims that enjoy his regime are charlatans, soothsayers, and liars, who dwell on telling him gossips.
My fellow Muslim brother, the gospel truth is that we are voting tomorrow. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran that do not mislead Allah and his Prophet. Look after everything that is entrusted to you. Voting for a person (Ibrahim Geidam) whose tyranny is out in the open for all to see, is tantamount to betraying Allah’s trust. My fellow Muslim brothers, my advise to you is to use your conscience when voting. There are political agents going around distributing clothing, chickens, and maggi, so as to buy people’s votes. The end game is that this guy (Ibrahim Gaidam) gets reelected. Once he wins the governorship election, it will become business as usual. He will squander state resources, humiliate the masses, and go back to his old habit of living outside the state (allegedly in Abuja, Kano, and Dubai).
Is it not absurd that we have Commissioners in Yobe state, who have been in office for the past 16 years? It is as though we do not have other qualified candidates that can do these jobs. And we have members of the state assembly who have been in power for the last 10 years. They are aiming to attain 20 years in service. Don’t we have young blood that can take their mantle? It is like these people are in it permanently for self enrichment. In all honesty my fellow brothers, we need local change, just the way we need change at national level.
Finally, I hope and pray to Allah that whoever is elected, if it is the bad guys, let them repent and change their ways. And if it is the good guys that are elected, may they have the fortitude to govern with justice. The gospel truth is this, if our local election goes wrong, we will all live to regret it.”
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CUPS remarks: His holiness, Reverend Father Mbaka, said worse things about Goodluck Jonathan, just before the presidential elections, and nothing happened to him. Why is it that some people in position of power in Northern Nigeria are so backward, tyrannical, and despotic that they react violently when told the simple truth? We at CUPS hold the view that Sheikh Abubakar Chiroma did not commit any offence against God or man by expressing his honest opinions on the pulpit. The claim by Ibrahim Gaidam that this sermon is a security threat to Yobe state is not only absurd and laughable, it is delusional and is devoid of any logic. We contend that it was his constitutional right to do so. His abduction and detentions is therefore manifestly unlawful in the eyes of man and God.
Governor Ibrahim Geidam, you must understand that the days of impunity in Nigeria are well and truly over. Gone are the days when despotic tyrants like you will terrorise innocent law abiding citizens without consequences. We therefore call upon you to release this innocent cleric immediately. Failure to do so will earn further actions from CUPS. We will leverage the services of international human rights organisations to have you blacklisted. This means you may never be able to travel outside of Nigeria. We at CUPS have the capacity to mobilise the good people of Yobe state to rebel against your tyranny. Further civic and legal actions against you will also fallow.
May God save Nigeria and Nigerians from tyrants like Ibrahim Geidam. Ameen.
Dr. Idris Ahmed.
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