I won’t succumb to blackmail, intimidation, says Senator Adamu

Senator Abdullahi Adamu says he will not succumb to “blackmail” and “intimidation” over his political differences with the incumbent Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura, noting that he welcomes the decision of one of his successors to probe his administration.
The Senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District was reacting to the setting up of a 9-man Committee by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to investigate certain activities embarked upon by the Adamu administration from 1999 – 2007.
Governor Al-Makura had on Wednesday set up a panel headed by the State Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr.
Ayuba Dogara Ayenajeh, to investigate the handling of the Farin Ruwa Independent Hydro-Power Project, the Zimbabwean Farmers Project, and the concession arrangements for some Nasarawa State properties during Senator Adamu’s tenure as governor of the state.
“Everything we did while I was governor of Nasarawa State were done openly and transparently, and the records are there for public scrutiny”, he said yesterday adding that the Farin Ruwa Project was never “abandoned” as insinuated.
Adamu said since government is a continuum, he had expected his successors to complete the project which reached over 60 percent completion stage by 2007 when he left office.
According to him, this was duly acknowledged by Governor Al-Makura when the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources visited him in Lafia some two months ago to announce the federal government’s decision to take over the project.
“It is, therefore, pure mischief and an attempted blackmail for him (Governor Al-Makura) to turn round and say he is investigating the handling of that project under my watch”, the Nasarawa West senator stated.
Also, he said:“It’s in view of the viability of that project that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources has now taken over not only with the intention of completing the proposed 20MW power component, but is also considering the possibility of incorporating other components like irrigation and water supply”, he said.
On the lease agreement for management of Keffi Hotels, Senator Adamu said a private company had a lease agreement with the then Plateau State Military Administration of Col.
Joshua Madaki stressing that it added great value to the hotel.
Explaining why he described the setting up of the probe panel as “a political misadventure”, the former Nasarawa State governor stated that “it was hastily done to see if I’ll be forced into accepting the abuse of democratic process as enshrined in the Constitution.