Be Proactive In Your Oversight Duty And Hold Gov Bala Accountable APC Tells BAHA

From Ali Galadima, Bauchi

The All Progressive Congress (APC) Bauchi State Media and Publicity Committee has urged members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly to be more proactive in their oversight duty and to hold  Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed accountable especially in the areas of contracts, privatization and undue loans.

This was contained in a press statement signed by Comrade Sabo Muhammad, Malam Saadu Umar

Committee Chairman, Secretary/member and copy was made available to newsmen in Bauchi today.

According to the statement, “Honourable Members need to immediately start a thorough investigation of all the contracts signed by Gov Bala on behalf of Bauchi State so as to be sure and tell the public to whose interests each and every of those contracts were signed for – were the contracts for the public or for the interests of Gov Bala and his family and friends”?.

“We also urge the Honourable Members to stop the planned privatization of the assets of the State by the governor lest he transfers our collective assets to himself and his family and friends like the way he unlawfully transferred the land of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to himself and his family”.

“We would also like to reiterate our call on the Honourable Members to stop Gov Bala from borrowing the sum of about 100 Billion Naira (200 million US Dollars) from Kuwait.

This is because the people of Bauchi do not trust Gov Bala given what we now know with regard to his self serving conduct while serving as the minister of the FCT. We are concerned that Gov Bala may end up squandering the foreign loan on himself and his family and friends just the way he turned public property to his own in the FCT”.

“The APC is appalled by the scandalous reports of the seizure of a property,  Plot 298, Wuye District, Abuja, linked to Governor Bala Muhammad (GB) by the ICPC. The spokesperson of the ICPC said that Governor Bala unlawfully allocated the property belonging to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to himself and his family while serving as the Minister of the FCT, Abuja.

This appalling scandal would warrant a resignation or impeachment in saner climes! Thus, we hereby urge Mr. Governor to take the path of honour.

We are equally aware of the allegations of breach of public trust and sundry corruption charges leveled against GB by the EFCC”

“These allegations and his conduct in office so far – like the 3.6 billion Naira Adda Nigeria Ltd Car (GB is alleged to be a Director in the Company) contract scandal – have continued to erode the confidence of the people of Bauchi State in the ability of Gov Bala to discharge his functions without mixing it with his personal interests”.

“Since Gov Bala has allowed his personal interests and the interests of his family to influence his official conduct as the minister of the FCT by unlawfully allocating land belonging to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to himself and his family, we are worried and have reasons to believe that Gov Bala may continue to be influenced by his personal interests and that of his family and friends in the discharge of the functions as the Governor of Bauchi”.

“We implore all the good people of Bauchi to join hands with the APC to protect our assets and demand accountability. Unless we stop Gov Bala he may betray his trust again. “A believer does not allow himself to be bitten twice from one hole.”