Less than three months after he assumed office as number citizen of Niger State, the state House of Assembly has directed the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, to probe the past administration led by Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.
The Assembly instructed Bello to set up Commissions of Inquiry to investigate the alleged fraudulent manner in which Aliyu conducted the activities of the state for the eight years he was in the saddle.
This was the resolution taken by members of the state House of Assembly during its sitting on Thursday, after they resolved that the immediate past governor cannot evade investigation.
The motion, which was moved by the member representing Bida II Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Haruna, listed 22 activities of the past administration due for investigation.
Activities for investigation include the operation of Local Government Joint Account, Ward Development Projects, Bonds, the Three Arms Zone project, Minna Airport City Project, the sale of Government property to Commissioners, members of state house of assembly and other politicians, the 10km local government projects, Minna city centre projects and the alleged N2.6 billion shared among public officers on the eve of the end of the past administration.
Others are IBB University, Lapai; former College of Education, which was turned into University of Education; SUBEB; SURE-P projects; MDG Projects; the Pensions Board; Minna building material market; Five Star hotel; and the rental paid by government for the former Governor’s House amongst others.
Haruna, who moved the motion, observed that the present administration inherited an empty treasury due to the financial recklessness of the past administration that milked the economy of the state dry, adding that the state is almost bankrupt, which has delayed speedy progress of the state.
He noted that the past administration ruined the economy of the state leaving teachers and local government workers salaries accumulating for a period of four months.
He said the people of the state expect them to take appropriate steps to bring the situation to normalcy.
According to Haruna: “If there are relevant provisions of our laws that empower us to check and correct the defects and not allow business as usual, then our refusal to exercise such powers may be tantamount to compromising our cardinal responsibilities as representatives of our various constituencies.”
When the motion was thrown to the floor of the House for deliberation, the member representing Gbako, Hon. Abdullahi Mamagi, said the way and manner the present administration is handling the issue of investigating the former administration is not satisfactory to Nigerlites.
According to Mamagi, a proper commission of inquiry should be set up and everyone involved should be called and queried, stressing that the commission of inquiry should specially investigate the rentals taken from the former Governor on his former house when the Government House was there for him to live in.
He said: “This is a new administration and we do not want to have an old wine in a new bottle.
“We have to shout out against the anomalies, which the previous administration took delight in doing.
“Everyone found wanting should be investigated and charged to court.
“We are not trying to witch hunt anyone.
“The issue at stake is that the resources of over four million people in Niger State have been pilfered.
“The resources are not meant for them.
“They should refund it.”
The Deputy Speaker of the House, representing Agaie Constituency, Hon. Husseni Ibrahim, said although the executive seem to have set up a committee to look into the N2.6 billion shared among public officers on the eve of the end of the past administration, the committee seems not to be working on the same page with the aspiration and desires of Nigerlites.
Ibrahim then said the committee of inquiry to be set up by the state governor should take their duty seriously as it is of serious concern that the money pilfered by the previous administration be returned to the coffers of the state.
Other speakers spoke in the same vein and the motion was adopted by the House with the Speaker directing the Clerk of the House to forward the resolution of the House to the state Governor.
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