I am not aware my traditional title of Jakadan Bauchi has been suspended, Dogara claims

Two days after the Bauchi Emirate Council announced the indefinite suspension of Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara as the Jakadan Bauchi, the Federal lawmaker has claimed that he was yet to be officially notified of the suspension by the Emirate Council.

Yakubu Dogara in his reaction to the development expressed doubt over the purported suspension of his traditional title of Jakadan Bauchi claiming that the Palace was yet to serve him a letter or invite him, in the spirit of fair hearing.

In a statement he released on Tuesday, the member representing Bogoro /Dass /Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency reacted for the first time to his suspension as Jakadan Bauchi, by the Bauchi Emirate Council as well as a criminal suit filed by the state government against him and 27 others over the Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa violence, in December following the 21st memorial anniversary of and book launch on late Baba Peter Gonto.

The state government in the criminal suit yet to commence is accusing the federal lawmaker of sponsoring the violence that broke out during the 21st memorial of Baba Peter Gonto, the late Sayawa nation crusader.

The convoys of the Emirs of Bauchi and Dass were attacked on their way to the event slated for December 31 2021 just few people were killed, others injured while Properties mostly buildings and cars were destroyed by yet to be identified hoodlums.

In his reaction, entitled ‘My take on my purported suspension as Jakadan Bauchi’, Yakubu Dogara stated: “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t join issues with the Emirate Council because of the respect I have for both the emir and the council”.

“But because there is a ludicrous and legally inchoate criminal complaint filed against me and others by the Governor of Bauchi and his moneybag lackeys, who are at the centre of it all, I have decided to state my own side of the story, as several well-wishers and even the press have inundated me with request to respond to events of yesterday, to avoid conviction in the court of public opinion”, he stressed.

Yakubu Dogara added that if his name was truly mentioned, Bauchi Emirate, which is one of the oldest in the country, should have invited him for questioning before arriving at the decision to suspend his traditional title.

According to him: “This, if true, is, no doubt, a violation of my constitutionally guaranteed right to fair hearing. It is also alleged in the letter under reference that I did not sympathize with the two Emirs over the unfortunate incident involving them, which is totally untrue. I, therefore, reproduce below the message I sent to the two emirs in the aftermath of the incident for all to see”.

He stated further that, “It was also said in the letter that I did not show remorse over the incident. As we all know, remorse comes as a consequence of guilt”.

He opined that, “The Emirate Council cannot convict me over hearsay, without investigation and without inviting me to face any allegations against me. I maintain a clear conscience before God that I have nothing to do with any mayhem in Zaar land, not least the incident involving the two monarchs, as I had no inkling whatsoever that they would be attending an event that was already marred by crisis before it began,”

Yakubu Dogara added that, “Even if it turns out to be true that the Emirate council did what they must do, it would be no surprise to keen watchers of events in Bauchi State. I am aware that both His Royal Highness and members of the Council have been under tremendous pressure from the Bauchi State Government to withdraw the traditional title conferred on me for quite some time now.

He concluded that, “It is all part of a smear campaign to portray me as insensitive and convict me in the court of public opinion for the political gains of some desperate characters”.

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