Ever since our party held it’s primaries on May 22, 2022 which I contested and lost, being a firm believer that God alone gives power to whom he wishes and at a time he desires. I have recoiled into solitude to reflect on my political sojourn in my Local Government (Billiri), Gombe South and Gombe State.
Notwithstanding the way and manner the party primaries were conducted. In the words of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,
“These whole primaries going on across the country is a mess. This is not a standard practice. The process has failed.
“We cannot use the process to elect president, governors, Senators and House of Representatives members and others.
“The process is already failed, which is not good for the country.”
I hope that what happened this year, 2022 will not happen again in this country.”
I do not believe that a sparing gathering of just 61 delegates who cast their votes to determine who wins to fly the flag of the party for the Balanga-Billiri Federal Constituency is a true test of my popularity with the electorate. However, I have since moved on, as I said in my concession speech on that day, “And it pleases you Oh God that I should lose the election. Unto you be glory honour and adoration.
To my supporters, there will always be a next time, thank you for believing in me.”
Events leading to the primaries, at the primaries and after it left a sour taste in our mouths. Let me take us a little bit back memory lane
1. Before the Primaries
It is a notorious fact in the public domain that after I purchased the form to contest the primaries there were all kinds of antics by certain vested interest to stop me from contesting which eventually failed. As a matter of fact even when I was screened and cleared to contest, few hours later I received a call from the screening committee that a petition has been brought against me, when I sought to know who brought the petition and the basis for it, I was told to not bother that the committee in it’s wisdom thinks the petition is without any atom of merit. I was later to learn that it was the handiwork of Hon. Ali JC.
Few days to the Primaries, the party sets of a committee to meet with 10 of us who were contesting for the seat with a view to ensure if there will be a consensus. I noticed and complained that some of the contestants which include Hon. Ali JC kept absenting themselves from the meetings, at the end of which we were asked to sign a memo for a peaceful and orderly conduct of the primaries, a memo which I signed, as at the time I did, he Hon. Ali JC hasn’t, this raised a red flag in my mind but I kept mute about it.
A day to the primaries he was seen moving in a convoy of about 8-10 vehicles loaded with non conventional armed men (popularly known as Yankalare and yandaba) wilding dangerous weapons and a few security officers some of whom were masked.
2. On the Day of the Party Primaries
On the day of the party primaries, as I made my way to the venue amidst cheers and expression of goodwill for the best outcome from supporters, I was truly overwhelmed by the ecstatic armless women and young people whom I met on my way to the venue, Hon. Ali JC came in a convoy of cars and passed us on the way with those yandaba. As we were approaching the venue which I was carried shoulder high by the jubilant supporters, I was miffed by what welcomed us, those Yankalare punched on us beating everyone in sight, it took the intervention of some security personnels to calm the situation, and I was ushered in to the venue alone. Thereafter I didn’t know what happened outside.
3. Death of Rasheed Inuwa and the Press Statement Issued by Hon. Ali JC Through his Media Aide – Ambi Yahaya Saleh
While the election was still going on, my attention was drawn to the fact that someone was shot dead, I was later to learn that it was Rasheed Inuwa, a brother to Richard Inuwa who is a member of my social media crew. This truly broke me down, I also learnt about the bitter experiences of my cameramen, and a number of my armless supporters who were either machetted or shot.
Later that day I contacted Rasheed’s family and arrangement was made for his burial. The following day I attended his burial, thereafter visited the wounded.
I was quite stupefied on May 24, 2022 when Hon. Ali Isah JC made a press release through the social media handle of his aid Mr. Ambi Yahaya Saleh captioned “BBFC PDP PRIMARIES: AFTERMATHS, FACTS VS. FICTION”
In it all kinds of concocted lies were dished out typical of them, aimed at covering their tracks. Part of his second paragraph reads and I quote, “at the venue, the first nine (9) candidates arrived peacefully and quietly without much ado or fànfares, but HON. RAMBI AYALA the last candidate to arrive at the venue rode on the shoulders of thugs to the venue amidst a large crowd.”
Let me state that I was the third to arrive the venue after Hon. Philip Jesimah and Hon. Ali JC who passed us with a convoy of Yankalare and Yandaba who were armed to the teeth. The remaining contestants met me at the arena.
Furthermore what do you expect in a political gathering where the indices show that my popularity looms larger than life, I take that as a compliment but for you to refer as THUGS the armless women and youth as shown in the pictures you paraded and the drone video I have in my custody amounts to insulting the sensibility of our people.
While the police in a press statement said, “the killing had nothing to do with the primary election as it happened far away from the scene of the primary election.”
Mr. Ambi had this to say, “I have a bad news for you; IT WAS A GUNSHOT that KILLED our brother. The securities are in a better position to explain why they shot at the thugs (Rasheed-emphasis mine).”
Earlier Ambi avowed, “the security started shooting into the air to scare the thugs away, and unfortunately one of our SUPPORTERS who was standing far from the scene got shot by the securities’ flying bullet and there met his untimely death.” Is it not interesting that the late Rasheed you referred to as a thug is at the same time said to be the supporter of Hon. Ali JC yet he was no where to be found three days after the death and burial of Rasheed. Hon. Ali JC had to go days later under the cover of some contestants to pay condolence to the family. The family and the Tangale Nation know exactly the truth, so don’t bother twisting facts.
4. Call for Justice
While as a representative of the good people of Billiri East Constituency I call for justice in the circumstances of the death of Rasheed, may I also bring attention to the desperate attempts by Hon. Ali JC in trying to absorb himself of bringing legion of Yankalare and Yandaba some of whom were masked which were used to intimidate, harass and inflict grievious injuries on armless supporters and delegates at the just concluded primaries.
As if that was not enough, I have it on good authority that he has been working tirelessly in cohort with some security personnels to press criminal charges against me and I am wondering for what crime? At the moment I will calmly wait for such move to materialize. Someone sent this message to me, “There is a serious gang up against you.
They are trying to file a criminal case against you, right now they are gathering information and witnesses that would testify against you.
I got this privilege information from someone that was asked to testify against you but he declined.”
How *AUDACIOUSLY DESPERATE* Could this attempt to give a dog a bad name in order to hang be? Let me put it on record, that should anything silly happen to me Hon Ali Isah JC should be held accountable.
Hon. Barr. Rambi Ayala contested in the just concluded BBFC PDP primaries. He is currently the Member Representing Billiri East in Gombe State House of Assembly (2015-2023).
