I am not reckless with speech; Otiko can continue – Naabu

Northern Regional Chairman for the governing New Patriotic Party, Daniel Bugri Naabu has said that he will not succumb to the use of inflammatory speech in response to Gender Minister, Otiko Djaba’s scathing attacks on him.

According to Bugri Naabu, though Otiko Djaba has resorted to insulting and launching serious allegations against him, he refuses to respond in like manner. He says his position as Northern Regional Chairman puts him in a place where he owes his people the responsibility of being prudent in his speech.

“I won’t attack her, she knows what she is saying, I have never received any goat, cow, guinea fowl, so if she is saying it, she knows what she is saying, provided she can prove it, I don’t think I need to argue with it. I will not talk the way she speaks, as a regional chairman, I’m for all and for that matter, whatever she says, it’s up to her, I won’t deny and I won’t talk much”,

He maintained that he never uttered derogatory remarks or comments about the Gender Minister, instead he said, he only stated the obvious which was the fact that Ms. Djaba made a wrong move by organizing some women groups in the region for a meeting without informing the appropriate authorities in the region.

“I didn’t insult her, I never said anything, I only told her, her actions were wrong; which is true. I will maintain this, that it is wrong”, he stated.

Mr. Bugri stated that rather than responding to the allegations and “insults”, he would report the issue to the disciplinary committee. Speaking on the issue of an alleged bribe collection, Chairman Bugri said he would demand for evidence and pursue the case in court if none is provided.

“I don’t have any issue to say about her, she said I’ve taken goats, sheep, cows and money so she should prepare to prove it, but me I won’t talk like that…..regardless of what she says about me, I’ll report the matter to the National Disciplinary committee, who would be the best people to investigate and see if I was wrong or she was wrong….”, he said

The two in the past few days have been at each other’s throat over allegations and counter allegations - one of which suggests the Gender Minister may be part of a set up responsible for the murder of the Party's Upper East regional chair, Adams Mahama.

Daniel Bugri Naabu and Otiko Djaba clashed following a decision by Otiko Djaba to meet with some women in the Northern Region allegedly on the blind side of the Regional chair, Naabu. Her actions reportedly provoked Bugri Naabu who later scuttled the said meeting.

Naabu accuses the Gender Minister of ignoring due process by holding a meeting in the region without his consent, a claim Otiko Djaba refutes.