By Comrade Jamil Sani
“Eliminating corruption is tantamount to wiping out human race” – Speaker Dogara
I am compelled to react to the contending issues between the incumbent Governor of Bauchi state, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, and Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, House of Representatives. Though discussing internal party crisis in public has negative consequencies given the experiences of embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it became necessary in view of the prevailing attention the matter has generated. The saying that wonders shall never end is applicatible to the diatribe by Dogara (Dass, Tafawa/Balewa/Bagoro, Bauch state).
It began like brothers’ thing and Governor Abubakar just let go so that all parties can face the onerous task of governance. But not so for Dogara, who built up arsenal to do damage. The governor’s doors are always open to everyone, not the least Dogara, a high ranking stakeholder in the state. But because he has gotten used to the gorilla-like NASS he partly misleads, Dogara chose to dance naked before some journalists in Abuja, to lie on matters he is not just aware of, but in reality was part of.
When Governor Abubakar took over in 2015, he met the state’s total liabilities including domestic and foreign loans at N125 billion with unpaid salaries of up to four months. He settled all unpaid salaries and off-setting domestic and foreign loans monthly from government’s lean resources.
That is what Dogara is shouting hoax that salary and pension payments were being delayed. It is just that Dogara wants to set the state civil servants and senior citizens at war with Gov. Abubakar so that he can realize whatever sinister ambition he has. But that would be futile, sure!
It is certain that Dogara is still suffering from the PDP culture of blackmail and barefaced lies which made Nigerians embraced change in 2015. There lies the difference between original APC members and those who came in from PDP. Otherwise, how would Dogara say a resolution of Bauchi State House of Assembly was forged to collect N4billion loan, insulting the intelligence of legislators. The law requires the governor to seek legislative approval to obtain any loan. The 7th Assembly, which tenure expired on June 16, 2015, gave approval for the governor to obtain the loan.
It is a documented record.
It is also not true that the N4billion loan was obtained when the state executive council was nonexistent. The truth is that as chairman of the executive council, the governor has the power to give executive approval and later get it ratified, especially on matters of urgent importance like payment of four months’ salaries owed government workers by the preceding administration. This was even the practice by President Muhammadu Buhari before he constituted the federal Executive Council.
In fact, it was by that that he gave out the first bail out to states. Why is that of Bauchi different to warrant Dogara’s ranting? So, there goes Dogara again on verbal banditry, which he is using to hide his face having failed to keep his campaign promises.
Bauchi state’s share of the Paris Club debt refund is N12.7 billion which was judiciously used to clear outstanding workers’ salaries. The governor reported back to President Buhari that he has used about 80% of that fund in paying salaries to which the president expressed satisfaction. So where is Dogara coming from?
The APC philosophy is very clear to us in Bauchi. It is a grassroots party, rooted in practices through the contribution of stakeholders at all levels in the state. We don’t just understand that the era of free money is gone, we also agree that every expense has to receive the blessing of the state legislature, who would have consulted and got the consent of their various constituents. For anybody to now allege that there is lack of accountability of state finances, such a person or group is certainly not in touch with what is happening in Bauchi state.
It has been the norm for elected political office holders at the national level to assume a larger than life posture, acting like demigods and wanting to dictate to those leading at their respective states. They employ all manners of harassment and intimidation, which is what Dogara is trying to do against Governor Abubakar. Well, all those roforofo would not work here because the governor is a popular product of superior democracy elected by 20 local government areas of the same state compared to Dagara’s insignificant paltry three.
So, for Dogara to claim at several fora that he had played a key role in installing Gov. Abubakar is a mentality of senility.
Again, there was no such thing that the governor backed out of a stakeholders agreement before President Buhari. Truth is, a group had gone to report the governor to the president when the governor was abroad. On his return, he saw the president, stated his side to story and received Buhari’s approval. Let Dogara tell the nation if the governor at any time appeared with the so-called stakeholders before Mr. President if he is really honorable.
We are not surprised at the latest behavior as Dogara is a failed student of history. He forgot what happened to him when he locked horns with then Governor Isa Yuguda over the relocation of the Tafawa Balewa local government. The fallout led to strident calls for his recall by prominent traditional authorities from his federal constituency, particularly Dass and Tafawa Balewa local government areas. Someone should help remind him that it could be worse this time around as the people have gotten much wiser.
There is a job to be done in Bauchi state; this is no time for frivolities.
A word is enough for the wise
Comrade Sani wrote from Bauchi
