By Ali Abare Abubakar
A governorship aspirant in Nasarawa State, Chris Enva Mamman, has denied allegations linking him with the outlawed Eggon militia, the Ombatse, saying contrary to allegations making the round; he is not a leader of the Ombatse.
Mamman cleared the air while fielding questions from journalists yesterday, shortly after he held a press conference at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he submitted his letter of intent to vie for the State’s governorship post to the officials of the party.
He explained that even though he recently headed the umbrella Eggon cultural organization, (ECDA), he is not a leader of the Ombatse, stressing that it would be erroneous for the media to portray every Eggon person as Ombatse.
“Not every Eggon person is a member of Ombatse. I am not a leader of Ombatse” Mamman stated.
On whether his foray into the guber race would not complicate the situation for his kinsmen, Sen. Solomon Ewuga and Labaran Maku, who are said to be also vying for the governorship post, Mamman stated that his decision to join the race was not personal, but rather it was a call by the people from across the state who desired change in the leadership of the state.
“Concerning my kinsmen, all effort to reconcile the two has failed. Eggon people from within and outside the state have tried to bring them together but they failed. Besides, we felt it is time for the younger generation to take over from them” he said.
He added that a group within the PDP family known as the Nasarawa Transformation Alliance (NTA), after due consultations with opinion leaders and other stakeholders, called on him to lead the group with a view to occupying the Shendam Road Government House in 2015.
Mamman vowed to transform the state “from a peasant-agrarian society to that of a modern, prosperous state where everyone has equal access to equity, justice and development.”
Earlier, state PDP chairman, Yunana Iliya, while receiving the aspirant in his office, said the eleven aspirants jostling for the sole ticket of the party for the guber election signifies the rising popularity of the party in the state.
While commending the courage of the aspirant to venture into the race, Iliya however cautioned that only one candidate out of the several would eventually emerge victorious, urging those who may not win the party’s primary to accept their fate and not to cause further disharmony in the party.
He warned the aspirant against the use of abusive language while campaigning, stressing that the party would not hesitate to punish erring members.
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