By KATO P. LADAN, Kaduna
Palliatives said to have been donated by the former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar our correspondent confirmed, has caused a serious disharmony among intended beneficiaries in Jada LGA area of Adamawa State.
An indigene of Jada, Rabiu Adamu Jada revealed during a telephone interview that many people complained of the palliatives that supposed to be a good gesture but somehow were diverted by some Atiku’s political errand boys.
He said the two thousand bags of cement and three hundred bundles of roofing zinc sent by the former Vice President to cushion the effects of whirl wind that caused a serious disaster and destroyed about two hundred and fifty houses did not reach 20% of the real affected oeople.
He blamed one Arabo Sheik and his brother, Alfa Mahmud who were the arrow heads of the palliatives distribution to bring in political sentiments and falsehood while distributing the palliatives.
“Arabo and his brother have succeeded in once more denting the name of Atiku Abubakar black in our community, and probably did that because of their selfish interest for the purpose of enriching themselves.
“Authentic records from both Adamawa State Emergency management agency (ADSEMA) and the District head of Jada, Alhaji Umaru Ardo revealed that the total houses destroyed by the rain storm was recorded to be two hundred and fifty but the committee saddled with the responsibility of sharing the palliatives told Atiku six hundred houses were destroyed.
“This attitude is really not good by those who are aides to people like Atiku. Worse of it all, they politicised the sharing of the palliatives to only those from PDP and those they claimed voted for Atiku in 2019, if you are in APC or ADC they will not consider you for the palliatives,” Rabiu said
A victim of the rainstorm who does not want his name to be published, lamented that his name was penciled down to collect ten bags of cement and one bundle of roofing zinc but was given a standing order to return back half of what he collected as kick back for being shortlisted.
He said the whole palliatives is just another way to get money from Atiku the way they used to and to cheat on innocent people who are victims of the natural disaster, this very unfortunate for people to celebrate the evil that befalls other people.
He also said that Bello Gambo, APC Secretary who is supposed to be the chairman of the committee was accused of sabotaging the good efforts of Atiku by following the strict instructions of Sheik Arabo and sucumbing to fake leadership of Alfa Mahmud to deny the real victims of the uncalled disaster.
Malam Hamza Mohammed, another man who was on the list to collect the help because his house was equally destroyed, said the Committee refused to hearken to the advice of Alhaji Umaru Ardo, District Head of Jada which would have served the interest of the real victims not the fake victims that benefited.
He said the Monarch advised Adamu Atiku that the list be brought to him and the committee to work alongside his men (masu anguwa) who know the real victims but only for Arabo to overrule Adamu and go ahead with his evil intention and politics to sabotage the kind gesture intended by the former Vice President.
He said the committee incharge of the palliatives double the number of the affected people for the purpose of cheating from the onset, maximum number of people affected as revealed by both ADSEMA and the District Head of Jada are 250 Houses but increased to 600 because of selfish interests.
He said the committee was dishonest to Atiku and failed to give those palliatives to people deserving.
“As I’m talking to you now in Jada, people are saying it would have been more better if Atiku did not bring the intervention in the first place instead of the evil that happened to our community.
“Because they want money from Atiku at all costs, they are deceiving Adamu, Atiku’s son who is the Commissioner of Works representing Jada under this present Government in Adamawa State that they will support him to become the next Senator representing Southern Zone in 2023, hence his complicit attitude to the fraud that happened in Jada under his watch without intervening to right the wrong as he too believes that the fear of Arabo is the beginning of wisdom when it comes to Atiku. They politicised the palliatives to only Atiku’s loyalists while they cornered the rest to themselves.
“No wonder Adamu, Atiku’s first son and commissioner of works in Adamawa, after flagging off the disaster assistance sent by his father in Jada, he left for Ganye where he spent the night. I was reliably told that he visited some critical stakeholders and notable politicians and elders who are mostly his father’s political associates for a meeting in his father’s residence.
“The night meeting was more of a get together and a formal introduction of Adamu Atiku, done by Arabo Sheik to the people as Atiku’s son in which community issues and political deliberations took place.
“The meeting ended up with Adamu’s response, who intimated them of his intention to contest for Senate in 2023 under the PDP platform and pleaded for their support as his decision is for the collective interest of Ganye Chiefdom.” Hamza said.
Hamza warned that if this is the kind of fraud continues in the name of Atiku claiming to help people who are really in need because of God and his aides or political pundits use it to enrich themselves, it is better not to even do it at all.
“Recently a group called Haske Foundation have done something similar to this nature, no one complained of anything because the real affected people benefited generously, irrespective of political or religious affiliation. What we saw on this one, was a palliative for Atiku’s aides and PDP loyalists.
“Come to even think of it, if the Arabos shared the palliatives because of political reasons, in the last Presidential election, nobody voted for Atiku in Jada because of same people’s attitude to the community that good gesture by Atiku should have been a means to correct their previous misbehaviour as such, the help is not meant to be politicised because it’s something done in the name of God.
“We are still waiting and watching to see how they will share the five million donated by the Governor of Adamawa State, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who donated through the Local Government Chairman and another five hundred thousand donation by Adamu and Boss Doke.” Hamza added.
When our correspondent contacted Sheikh Arabo through telephone calls, he debunked that the palliatives went around the affected people, especially the APC members who their houses were destroyed by the rain storm.
He said Atiku’s intervention was done because of God not for man to take any credit and all he knows is that the committee has done its best to evenly Distribute the materials.
“All I know is that Atiku appreciated the way and manner the distribution was carried out because many people have called him to appreciate him for the kind gesture.
“I want to tell you that Christians, Muslims alike collected the gesture including an LCCN church which was de-roofed in Jada, all this you can confirm from the district head of Jada, APC Chairman in Jada and one leader of the church by name Pius in Jada.” Arabo said.
