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- Governor-elect Bago inaugurates 71-member committee
From John Adams Minna
The Niger State Governor-elect, Hon Umar Mohammed Bago, has come under attack for his decision to include in the 71-member transition committee, a former Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Chairman, Dr Isa Adamu, who was sacked by the state governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello over an alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the Board.
The embattled former SUBEB Boss was listed in the Secretariat Committee of the Transition Council by the governor-elect to head the Secretariat with 21 others as members.
This decision by the governor-elect has come under serious criticism from the public, many of whom have taken to their social media handle to condemned him, describing the inclusion of the former SUBEB Boss as a bad signal for the incoming administration.
Mallam Adamu Idris Manarakis, Nupe Language Professor Honorary, in his face book post titled “am beginning to see the first step of unseriousness in Bago administration”, said “leaving Dr. Isah Adamu in that list calls for an eyesore from concerned Nigerlites.
“Isah Adamu was sacked by three Governors thus; Kure, Talba, and Abu-lolo, by God’s Grace even if he uses charm to zip their mouths, that of Bago is going to be impossible because we will not keep quiet.”
Professor Idris Insisted that “Isah Adamu is a disaster and if that list keep on and on with Isah Adamu’s name as the Secretary, many people will prepare to give-up as we are going to where we came from.
“Look, someone should quickly give Mohammed Bago notice that Isah Adamu must go out of that list before May 29th, 2023. That is a nemesis following anyone who cheats on the trust given to him or her”, he wrote.
Also a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the appearance of the former SUBEB Boss on the list of the transition council as a bad development going by his antecedent in the past.
“I strongly believed that the governor-elect will take a second look at the list so that the people of the state do not begin to lose confident in his administration because the public is aware of the many shortcomings of the person in question.”
It could be recalled that the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello had in March last year, sacked the SUBEB Chairman, for alleged misappropriation of public funds worth over a billion naira.
The governor in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane said the sack of the Chairman was due to some observed anomalies in the operation of the Board.
However three weeks after his sack by the governor, the Emir of Kontagora, Sarkin Sudan of kontagora, Alhaji Mohammadu Barau Muazu 11also strips him off his traditional title of “Tambarin Kontagora”.
The Emir in a Letter dated 17th August, 2023 with reference number EC/HCI/55/Vol1/121, a copy which was made available to newsmen, said decision to terminate the appointment of the former SUBEB Chairman as the “Tambarin Kontagora” was reached after due consultations with the members of the Emirate Council.
The letter, titled ‘Termination of appointment as tambarin Kontagora’ and signed by the Secretary of the Emirate Council, Samaila Mohammed Fodio, reads; “I wish to inform you that His Royal Highness, the Sarkin Sudan of kontagora, Alhaji Mohammadu Barau Muazu 11, after consultations with members of Kontagora Emirate Council has approved and directed for the immediate termination of your appointment as Tambarin Kontagora.”
The Emirate accused the sacked SUBEB Chairman of what it called “indiscipline, disloyalty and abuse of office” as the Chairman of the state Universal .Basic Education Board, saying that, “the decision was reached to safeguard the tradition and prestige of Kontagora Emirate that has been desperate need for good ambassadors.
“Kindly know that this decision was taken due to your gross misconduct which is viewed as an act of indiscipline, disloyalty and abuse of office,” the letter added.
However, inaugurating the transition committee in Minna on Thursday, the governor-elect, reminded members of the transition committee that accountability is very important in governance, as the trust of the common man gave them the mandate.
According to him, “We have promised Nigerlites to be accountable and responsible, to protect them and our resources, irrespective of tribe, religion or race”, adding that “To achieve this, we are expected to be professional, diligent and firm. We need the understanding of all and sundry.”
Bago equally reminded the committee that “we have no excuse for failure because this is the first major outing of our in-coming administration and we cannot afford to disappoint the people, who are anxiously looking forward to what we have to offer for the improvement of their lives,” stressing further that “Every step we take and everything we do from today onwards would matter a great deal on how we shall be rated by the people.”
