Concerned Fulani Leaders Forum distances itself from Macban president's attack on Tinubu

SEVERAL Fulani elders have distanced themselves from the leader of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (Macban) Alhaji Bello Bodejo for criticising the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Last week, Alhaji Bodejo said Asiwaju Tinubu could not succeed President Buhari in 2023 because he was too old and does not have enough clout as he could not deliver the southwest for the APC in the last elections. In addition, the Macban leader added that calls for power to shift to the southern part of Nigeria in 2023 were misplaced.

Responding to the attack, a group known as the Concerned Fulani Leaders Forum, led by Muhammad Musa Bawa from Sabin Garin Nabordo in Bauchi State, said Alhaji Bodejo made the statement to serve some dubious interests. He questioned Alhaji Bodejo’s credentials to speak for the Fulani and slammed him for attempting to arrogate to himself the power of Nigerians to determine who leads them.

Alhaji Bawa added: “We note with dismay a publication in The Sun Newspaper of Saturday, April 27 attributed to Alhaji Bello Bodejo, the self-acclaimed president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, an association mischievously conceived to serve some dubious interests. In the publication, Bodejo was quoted as casting aspersions on the person of APC national leader, Asiwaju Tinubu.

“Bodejo’s statement is unfortunate and repulsive in all ramifications. For one, he lacks the mandate and credibility to speak on behalf of the Fulani as he has lost the confidence of our people because of his criminal activities, which are well known to us.

“Bello Bodejo has made a career out of duping poor members of his Fulani community and such a person cannot be taken seriously or be highly regarded as to speak for others. Bodejo stands for everything unethical and his questionable antecedents speak volumes about him and his ways.

"When he realised he cannot actualise his nefarious activities under any decent association, he resorted to desperate moves, contacting prominent politicians, soliciting patronage and claiming to be a leader of the Fulani under Kautal Hore, a handbag association where he is law unto himself. In 2015, he aligned himself with the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and to worm himself into the heart of the party, he headed for Aso Rock Villa where he endorsed former President Goodluck Jonathan in the name of Fulani in Nigeria, a crime the Fulani are yet to forgive him for.

“In the run-up to the 2019 election, Bello Bodejo also made frantic efforts to align with the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, holding several meetings with him in his Asokoro residence. When all efforts to dupe Atiku Abubakar failed, he resorted to outright blackmail, again saying many unpalatable things about Atiku.

“He later made frantic efforts to reach out to Asiwaju Tinubu in January, 2019, to sell himself as someone with mass followers. However, his satanic plans could not sail through with a highly-intelligent Asiwaju, who can identify a fraudster when he sees one, hence Bello Bodejo’s unprovoked outburst.

“On the issue of 2023 he raised, no one can arrogate to himself the power to decide who should lead or aspire to lead the country as the generality of the Nigerian people will take that crucial decision. Asiwaju Tinubu is eminently qualified and well equipped to lead the country, irrespective of the thinking of people like Bodejo and instead of focusing on the many challenges facing the herders’ community, Bodejo is busy building castles in the air."