ABUJA – A former Governor of Adamawa State, Senator Jibrilla Bindow, is currently in trouble for convening a meeting during which invectives, even death wish, were rained on President Muhammadu Buhari.
The alleged conspiracy blew open when an audio recording of the meeting was leaked and started circulating in the media.
Bindow was said to have been invited and grilled for several hours on Wednesday by the Department of State Services to explain his role in the said conspiratorial meeting against the President.
This, expectedly, has generated political tension in Adamawa State.
Though the former governor denied conspiring against Buhari, he did confirm that some uncomplimentary statements were uttered by some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress during the meeting – though much to his discomfort.
Other party chieftains also grilled by the DSS in connection with the meeting include a former Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Kabiru Mijinyawa; a former Commissioner during Bindow’s Administration, Mustapha Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha; acting APC Chairman, Yola South, Alhaji Sulaiman Adamu; a former Sole Administrator of Yola West Development Area, Hon. Abubakar Umar Sirimbai; and a former Adviser during Bindow’s administration, Alhaji Yusha’u Adamu.
Bindow had allegedly convened a meeting of APC chieftains in Yola South, ostensibly as part of his preparations to contest the state’s governorship ticket again in 2023.
During the meeting, some aggrieved APC members rained invectives on the President, with one of them quoted as saying: “Coronavirus ought to have killed this president to save Nigeria from his misrule.”
The audiotape of the anger against Buhari at the meeting was thereafter leaked by another chieftain of the party, leading to allegation of a plot against Buhari.
A security source confirmed to The Eagle Online that the former governor was indeed invited to explain his role in the meeting.
The source said those invited for questioning on the meeting were confronted with the leaked audio recording and asked to explain the roles they played.
The source said; “A death wish against the president of a country cannot be taken for granted.
“Those behind it could escalate their motive beyond mere mouthing it.”
Bindow has, however, denied plotting against the President, saying Buhari is like a father to him.
In a statement by his Special Adviser Media, Sadiq Abdullateef, on Wednesday, Bindow confirmed that he was indeed invited and questioned by the DSS.
Contrary to the claim that he convened the meeting, the former governor said he was invited to the meeting rather than convening it.
He also admitted that there were uncomplimentary outbursts against the President during the meeting, but that he was actually the one cautioning them, even threatening to walk out of the meeting if such vituperations were not stopped.
Bindow said he believed that the leaked audio recording of the meeting was doctored to satisfy a preconceived sinister motive as the part where he showed his disapproval of the negative things being said about the President was edited out.
Abdullateef’s statement reads: “Former Adamawa State governor, Senator Muhammad Umar Jibrilla Bindow, was invited to a party meeting because some members of the party were aggrieved about the just-concluded primaries, which he attended as an elder of the party.
“It’s worthy of note that, there was no programme in the said meeting; he went there and sat and listened to the aggrieved members’ complaints. And there was an unwarranted outburst from some members which he cautioned.
“It’s sad that some people are using that outburst with a recording to malign the former governor.
“The said recording was doctored and if you listened to it very well, there are some conversations that were skipped. Senator Bindow cautioned the members making those unwarranted utterances thrice in the meeting, and even threatened to walk out.
“His words were, ‘Please, this is not right. You don’t wish anybody death because of political reasons, talk less of our leader and father, the president. Let’s make progress please, or I am leaving’.”
The former governor’s aide said the “planned recording” was meant to malign Bindow “and create problems where there is none,” as the former governor’s utterances condemning what was said was not even in the circulated recording.
“As far as we are concerned, we were invited to a meeting and things were said in public and Senator Bindow cautioned the people making those utterances, and that was it.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is like a father to Bindow, and he will never entertain anything of such on the president.” (The Eagleonline)
