A Fulani professional group, Coalition of Fulani Professionals in Africa (COFPIA) has accused Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, an association of herdsmen, of being responsible for bad names that are attributed to the Fulani nation following their bigotry and politically sponsored campaigns against Peter Obi.
Goldennewsng reports that the coalition of Fulani professionals described the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi as an ardent nationalist who is commited to the progess of Nigeria.
COFPIA said the unpatriotic, sectional and ungodly statement of Alhaji Alhasan Salah, said to be National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, was his personal opinion and not the opinion of the entire Fulani who are committed to see a progressive Nigeria.
Alhaji Alhasan Salah, National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, had in an interview said the Fulani would not vote for Peter obi come 2023 general election.
Alhaji Alhasan Salah described the former governor of Anambra as a Biafran, and tribal bigot.
Reacting to Miyetti, through a statement signed by COFPIA National President, Prof. Mohammed Gidado, and Secretary, Hajiya Mairo Modibo, the group of Fulani professionals described Miyetti’s statement as senseless and politically sponsored.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a sectional, unpatriotic, ungodly and senseless statement credited to one of our brothers, Alhajji Hassan Saleh, the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, the most controversial Fulani group in Nigeria, which no doubt, is responsible for the bad name Fulani nation has been branded within Nigeria.
“The Fulbe all over Nigeria will not be binded by that politically sponsored statement of Miyetti Allah anymore.
“The Fulani people are wise now and cannot be used as tools of extortion and religious sentiment anymore. We will enlighten our people to vote for competence and capacity come 2023. We will never vote for any candidate who has nothing to offer. We have gone far beyond religious and ethnic sentiments.
“We will vote for a President that will tackle poverty and acute hunger that has held our people hostage for so long. We will vote for a President that will fight insecurity with every commitment and unbiased mind, no matter who is involved.
“Our respected tribal group, Miyetti Allah, should channel their campaign to redeem the bad image they have created for Fulani people in Nigeria rather than casting aspersions on Peter Obi, who has demonstrated capacity to rescue Nigeria from the current hopelessness.
“We wish to also make it categorically clear that we have not endorsed Obi or any presidential candidate in the forth-coming general election and we are not Obi’s mouthpiece, but it is wrong for our people to continue to brand Peter Obi as a tribal bigot and that he doesn’t like the North. Available data has shown Obi as an ardent nationalist that believes in the unity of Nigeria.
“We, therefore, call on our brothers in the Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore to only speak for their group, rather than misleading Nigerians that they are speaking for the entire Fulani people.
“They lack the moral, spiritual, and religious rights to speak for the entire Fulani people in Nigeria, especially when they have reduced themselves to tribal bigots that have no regard for other tribes and faiths.
“Nigerians have taken position in the forthcoming elections to vote for the best man for the job and cannot be distracted by any selfish agenda and blackmail.
“As campaigns start, we shall mobilize and enlighten Fulani, young and, old to every ruga’s and town to sensitize our people so as not to be deceived by Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore and its like.”
