Some of the newly sworn in state governors are crying over the depth of debt left by their predecessors while others are already on the war path with their predecessors less than a week after assuming power.
The governor of Kano State Abba Yusuf yesterday rolled out bulldozers to demolish buildings at the Kano Race Course and some identified public places in the metropolis which had been approved by the immediate past Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Yusuf branded the buildings illegal structures.
His Zamfara State counterpart Dauda Lawal gave his predecessor Bello Matawalle and his deputy five working days to return all government vehicles in their possession.
Lawal accused Matawalle of going away with all government vehicles he (Matawalle) claimed to have bought for a combined sum of N2,794,337,500.
The new Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has a debt burden of N264 billion to deal with while Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Uba Sani of Kaduna State and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State are sweating over the security challenges they inherited from their predecessors.
Yusuf, who vowed as soon as he took over the reins of leadership on Monday to launch a probe into the N241bn debt inherited from Ganduje, yesterday got several buildings pulled down in the Kano metropolis, alleging that the structures were erected on public land.
Lawal, in a statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said Matawalle claimed to have spent N2,794,337,500 to buy government vehicles but left none of the vehicles in Government House.
His words: “A contract was awarded by the former governor for the purchase of vehicles to be distributed to dignitaries and other ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the cost of One Billion, One Hundred and Forty-Nine, Eight Hundred Million Naira (N1,149,800,000.00).
“The contract for the purchase of the vehicles was awarded to Hafkhad Properties and Facilities Management Nig. LTD.
“The money was meant for the purchase of a Toyota Lexus VIP Bullet Proof 2021 Model; Toyota Land Cruiser VIP Bullet Proof 2021 Model; Toyota Prado V6 2021 Model; Toyota Prado V4 2021 Model; Peugeot 2021 Model; Toyota Hilux 2021 Model; Toyota Land Cruiser Bullet Proof 2021; and Toyota Lexus 2021 Model.
“On the 4th of October 2021 the former governor paid MUSACO for the supply of three bulletproof Jeep at the sum of N484, 512, 500.00; to supply seven sets of bulletproof Prado Jeep and Land Cruiser at the sum of N459, 995, 000.00; to supply seven Toyota Hilux at the sum of N228, 830, 000.00.
“On the 19th of May 2021, Matawalle paid for the supply of 30 sets of Peugeot 406 to TK Global Services at the sum of N61,200,000.00. Also, on the 15th of December 2021, Nadeen Butta was paid for the supply of one bulletproof Land Cruiser in the sum of N130, 000, 000.00.
“On 26th of February 2022, a contractor Dapiyau B. Linus was paid the sum of N160,000,000.00 for the supply of two Land Cruiser Jeeps 2021 model; On the 20th of March 2022, Matawalle government paid MUSACO the sum of N120,000,000.00 for the supply of three vehicles for the office of the Deputy Governor.
“It is the height of indignity for the Zamfara APC to continue to fizzle at a time when all the above official vehicles were looted by the outgone governor and his associates. None of the vehicles is available in the government house.
“This is a show of shame, not only to the state chapter of the APC but to anyone justifying the action of Matawalle.
“We have communicated officially to former Governor Bello Matawalle and his deputy to return all the missing vehicles within five (5) working days.”
The finances of the Akwa Ibom State Government are not looking good for the new governor, Pastor Umo Eno.
Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Harry Udoh, alleged that the immediate administration of Udom Emmanuel left accumulated debts of N264 billion behind.
Udoh wondered how the new governor would handle the situation and the settlement of unpaid pension and gratuities of retired civil servants.
It was gathered that the hierarchy of the PDP in the state is also mounting intense pressure on Udo on who should be in his cabinet.
Meanwhile, Infrastructure, water provision, job creation top Mbah’s challenges in Enugu State.
Credit: The Nation
