Vice Chancellor of the University of Mkar, Professor Zacharys Gundu and Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule
By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
Vice Chancellor of the University of Mkar, Professor Zacharys Gundu, has refused to apologize to Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, over allegations that Nasarawa is harboring gunmen killing Benue citizens.
Instead, Professor Gundu has vowed to meet Governor Sule in court to settle the matter.
The controversy
The controversy began when Professor Gundu spoke at a town hall meeting organized by News Central Television on insecurity challenges in North Central Nigeria. Governor Sule, through his counsel Dr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), demanded a retraction and apology from Professor Gundu, claiming that the comments caused him unquantifiable damage and injured his reputation.
*Professor Gundu’s Response*
However, Professor Gundu, through his counsel Professor Sebastian Hon (SAN), dismissed the demand for retraction and apology, insisting that he spoke the truth.
Hon maintained that the volume of evidence at Professor Gundu’s disposal to establish that Nasarawa State is harboring Fulani herdsmen attacking Benue State would shock Governor Sule.
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Evidence of Influx
Professor Gundu’s counsel attached several annexures to the letter, including news reports from Vanguard Newspaper and Channels TV, which quoted Governor Sule as saying that there is an influx of murderous bandits into Nasarawa State.
He wondered why Governor Sule would claim that there are only a few Fulani herdsmen in Nasarawa State when he had previously stated that there was an influx of Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram members into the state.
Land Grabbing Allegations
Professor Gundu’s counsel also drew attention to allegations of land grabbing against Governor Sule, citing comments by Tiv community leaders who accused the governor of seizing large swathes of land from Tiv people in Nasarawa State under the guise of an “agricultural mandate”.
Seventeen persons of Tiv origin have sued Governor Sule and other agencies of the Nasarawa State Government over forceful seizure of their lands.
*Governor Sule’s Inconsistencies
Professor Gundu’s counsel pointed out inconsistencies in Governor Sule’s statements, noting that he had previously stated that the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, was no longer in talking terms with the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, over the same issue of Nasarawa State harboring armed Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram elements.
