From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Bauchi state Women Coalition of for Sustainable Peace and Viable Democratic gains has threatened to initiate recall of 13 lawmakers who sat for the repelling of anti graft law sponsored by the outgoing Bauchi State administration.
leader of the group Hajiya Addaji Mohammed stated this when she led hundreds of women to a Special Prayers for successful handing over of the affairs of the State to Senator Bala comes 29th may 2019 as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria..
Addaji condemned the two latest bill passed by the state house of assembly on Wednesday 15th May 2019 barring government’s panels or committees from probing and recovering public properties and funds from suspected corrupt public office holders in the state and the bill to created district villages and Hamlet’s heads and described their action as wickedness against the people of the state and lack of patriotism.
She said it was improper for the legislative house to pass such bill saying there was a law enacted in 2017 tagged ‘Bauchi State public property and fund recovery tribunal law’ that empowers government to recover looted items and money from public officers
Addaji said That two bills are against the interest of the citizens as it will not allow good governance to be in place, even the outgoing governor seized what he called looted government properties from aides and officials that served former Governor Isa Yuguda why he himself doesn’t want the law to try him after he left office and they contacted their legal officer who told them that ” The action of the 13 law makers contradicts section 15 (5) of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended which states that ‘ the state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’. Such action undermines democratic process”.
She said ” Our stance in condemning the latest bill to repeal the existing law (Bauchi State public property and fund recovery tribunal law 2017) because it has been of great benefit to Bauchi State citizens through prudence management of public property and funds even those who won their elections among the 13 law makers we will mobilize women and initiate the recall of the law makers for showing unpatriotic conduct by repelling the anti graft law.
On their part Fatima Umar Spokes woman of the group Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar Mustafa said said there are many ambiguities on the act of the lawmakers they clearly shows that they are government rubber stamp they sevrve and protect the personal interest of the executives not the interest of the state.
Fatima said creation of additional districts and was recruitment of over 500 workers was done in bad faith to create problems to the incoming administration .
She advised the incoming governor to review all the actions and in actions of the outgoing government administration especially their last minutes rush activities.
She said rumors going on from the supporters of the outgoing governor and some governors appointees may not augur well for the state especially a state where their outgoing captain is a lawyer who knows the laws of the land and on the handing over date and the l.aw is clear about it and the law is clear about it its 29th may 2019.
Hadiza said when the result of the elections was announced the outgoing governor conceded defeat , few days later he makes a u turn decided to challenge the election in court as a result of that some prominent supporters of governor went to the state radio stations announcing that on May 29 it’s the outgoing governor that would be sworn in for second term, and now few days before the swearing in ceremony they now started speculating rumors that the governor will not handed over the state to governor elect instead that they have planned to , dissolve the state assembly ,and leave the state in the hands of state Chief Judge who will in return not hand over to the governor elect until after the tribunal judgement.
She said “it’s laughable, and shameful for a man who Bauchi State citizens gave him the status he has never dream up for complete four years to allow his supporters to be speculating false rumors with the aim to cause confusion in the State what is he going to achieve by creating confusion and chaos in the state”.
