A top notcher of the People’s Democratic party (PDP) in Zamfara state, Alhaji Faruku Ahmed Gusau (Shatiman Rijiya) has strongly condemned those who are accusing the committee appointed by the Governor-elect, Dr. Dauda Lawan Dare to investigate ministries, departments and other government agencies in the state with a view to finding out the actual situation report.
In an interview, Shatiman Rijiya said Dr. Lawan Dare has every right to appoint committees to furnish him with relevant information on the activities of the outgoing administration of Governor Bello Mattawalle so that he will know where to start and how to recover some government’s properties and funds allegedly diverted by the outgoing administration of Governor Bello Matawalle in the last four years. Excerpts:
Question: The incoming Governor of Zamfara state, Dr. Dauda Lawan Dare has constituted a committee under the leadership of the former Inspector General of Police, M.D Abubakar for the smooth handing and taking over of government on May 29 this year.
The committee has also appointed sub committees for the quick discharge of its responsibilities. But some people are complaining that, these sub committees are overstepping their boundaries, thus creating parallel governments in the state. What can you say about this?
Shatiman Rijiya: Before I respond to your question, let me tell you that, the committee members appointed by Dr Dauda Lawan Dare are highly respected and trusted personalities who know what they are doing.
They are appointed in order to find out the true situation of things for the incoming administration. The incoming Governor will never work blindly like his predecessor. Dr. Dauda Lawan Dare has a lot of promises he made to the people of the state during his electioneering campaign, as such, he will do everything humbly possible to make sure that he fulfilled his promises.
We all know that the outgoing administration of Governor Bello Mattawalle did not perform well. So this incoming administration must find out the true picture of how the outgoing administration used the public funds during the last four years.
That is why, the main committee appointed sub committees who will go round the ministries departments, agencies and other offices in order to find out what really transpired.
For this reason, the outgoing administration is jittery because of the calibre of people appointed by Dr Dauda Lawan Dare to do this herculean task.
There are no parallel governments in the state as insinuated by some people who know that they have a skeletal in their cupboards. It is very normal and very correct for any incoming Governor to investigate and know where to start. It is constitutional to do so.
What I want people to understand is that, since the time Governor Bello Mattawalle lost election he appointed committees to prepare handing over note where the former finance minister, Bashir Yuguda was appointed as the chairman of the main committee but unfortunately several weeks after their appointments, the incoming administration did not hear anything from them.
Based on this, the main committee appointed by Dr Dauda Lawan Dare asked the committee appointed by the outgoing Governor to come and make some clarifications on some issues but they refused saying that they would not submit anything until 10 days to handing over date.
I want to draw the attention of some mischief makers, especially the state commissioner of information Ibrahim Dosara that, the incoming administration of Dr. Lawan Dare is never in a hurry to take over government but rather, it is trying to save the state from looting of public treasury and stealing of public properties by the outgoing administration.
Right now, it has come to our notice that, Governor Bello Mattawalle has actioned and dashed out several vehicles to his party supporters few weeks to the handing over. So, we will not wait until the handing over date. We will continue to invite top civil servants and public office holders to come and make clarifications.
I want to advise public office holders to please cooperate with our committee members if they are invited for any clarification because our state is seek and is in dire need of someone who will save it from total disintegration.
Let me state here that, nothing is hidden here in Zamfara state. We have proper record of all the scandalous activities of the outgoing administration. We are calling on both the politicians and public office holders to please don’t take anything that does not belong to them and if they have done so, they should please try and return them because Dr Dauda Lawan Dare is going to make thorough investigation to make sure that he retrieves all government vehicles and money.
We even heard that, the outgoing administration is trying to change some records more especially financial transactions. That is why they are dragging on the issue.
We are also aware that there are so many projects like the Airport, Government House, Liaison Offices in Kaduna and Abuja which they want to change the records. I am telling you that we have all the records of how government properties were carted away, how money was diverted and how fake contracts were awarded and paint before execution.
This is too bad. Because the government has failed to win an election, that is why some key officers are now trying to steal whatever comes to their way. Let me tell them that we have the records and any time from now, some people will be called to account for their misdeeds.
Question: How did you get all these information?
Shatiman Rijiya: I told you that there is nothing secret about Governor Bello Matawalle’s administration. We even have all the records of some of the shoddy deals. So there is nothing hidden. I want to use this medium to to call on our respected civil servants to cooperate with the committee appointed by Dr Dauda Lawan Dare. They should come out and speak the truth. They are going to remain civil servants even after Matawalle’s administration.
Question:There are junior officers who are afraid to come forward and make statements. How does the incoming administration intend to protect them?
Shatiman Rijiya: I have said it earlier that, this outgoing administration has nothing secret. Everybody knows how it is being run even those who are not in the government. So I think the civil servants are ever ready to give us enough information because they are not enjoying the government. There was a drama at the Health Service Management Board where a dedicated and sincere officer was forcefully removed from office and illegally replaced by someone on the authority of the Head of Service which has never happened in the history of civil service.
The officer at the Health Service Management Board knows himself and refused to do what the outgoing administration wanted him to do. That is why he was removed from his office.
Question: But the issue of diversion of public funds and fake contracts by Matawalle’s administration you have mentioned are only mere allegations.
Shatiman Rijiya: Which kind allegations? Just look at the case of local governments cash allocations of our 14 local governments. Some of them received more than N100 million monthly but they hardly get ten million Naira from the governor and the remaining amount were diverted somewhere. I am an indigene of the state and I interact with some directors of local governments who used to tell me all these things.
So as soon as the handing over committees complete their reports, Dr Dauda Lawan Dare will also constitute another powerful committee which will investigate and retrieve all the stolen money and properties.
He will never allow those who diverted public funds to go free. The state is in terrible situation and nothing is working. The civil servants are always crying for non payment of salary. There is no state in Nigeria which has not performed more than Zamfara state.
Question: But the outgoing Governor is going to officially declare his handing over note on May 29. I think this will be enough information for the incoming government to build on.
Shatiman Rijiya: No. This will not be enough because the outgoing Governor will not mention his shoddy deals during the handing over. There are lots of ongoing projects that are not completed but the money was paid. Dauda will look into all these and make sure that the money is retrieved.
We are not going to EFCC. We will constitute our committee to carry out this assignment.
Look at what happened at Gusau hotel. All the materials were removed and taken away just like that. Instead of Governor Bello Mattawalle to rehabilitate the hotel, he ordered for its demolition and took away all the materials.
Question: There is every possibility that, the incoming administration of Dauda Lawan Dare is going to inherit backlog of salary, insecurity and joblessness. How is he going to cope with these problems?.
Shatiman Rijiya: By the grace of Allah, Dauda is coming up with solutions to all these problems you have mentioned and even others you have not mentioned. He will insha Allahu succeed. All we need is your prayer.
