The Governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, Sunday, challenged the former governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, to address the alleged corruption charges against his administration rather than whipping up sentiments.
Reacting to a statement credited to Senator Abdullahi Adamu issued on his behalf by his legislative aide, Alhaji Jibrin Abdullahi, Almakura advised Senator Abdullahi Adamu to hold his opinions now as a man whose activities were under investigation and remain the subject of that investigation.
Al-Makura, who spoke through Yakubu Lamai, his Director, Communications Strategy and Press Affairs, said: “Such opinions should not prematurely be treated as facts.
This is essential, particularly when the statement from Senator Adamu avers that everything he did was done openly and transparently.”
He said further: “It is Governor Al-Makura’s view that the appropriate forum for such rebuttals should be the committee set up by Nasarawa State government to review the concessioning agreement of all Nasarawa State government-owned hotels and other related facilities and not the press or court of public opinion.”
He added that for the avoidance of doubt, the committee was also mandated to review and investigate the circumstances that led to the failure of the Farin Ruwa independent hydropower plant project as well as the Zimbabwean farmers’ project.
“The scope of work of this review committee has not singled out any particular individual for political persecution but involves all persons and organization which were involved in the aforementioned projects.
”Bringing questions which are subjudice to the public does little to signify the willingness or ability of Senator Abdullahi Adamu to respond to charges to which he is privy to or to do so in a disciplined and objective manner that is devoid of unwarranted personal attacks,” the governor said.
Governor Al-Makura, who listed the charges to include abandonment of the multi-billion naira Farin Ruwa project, said other aspects of the investigation were contained in a petition by a civil society organization, NAS transparency, which Senator Abdullahi Adamu was further alleged to be involved.
He alleged further that the former governor used the state resources to upgrade the Keffi Club by constructing a swimming pool, tennis court, meeting rooms, bar and converted the facilities to his personal use, building three personal “retirement homes” at state expense.
The former governor was also alleged to have sold one for personal profit, behaved unscrupulously in transactions regarding the Abuja and Lagos Liaison Offices of Nasarawa State government.
Governor Al-Makura also alleged that the charges to which Senator Adamu was privy as contained in the petition by the civil society groups had been handed over to the former governor more than a year ago without response from him.
“As the 2019 elections draw near, this is not the time for personal attacks against an incumbent governor whose duty it is to seek and obtain answers to disturbing allegations of financial impropriety, especially when President Muhammadu Buhari himself admonished the electorate only recently in Osun not to vote in corrupt politicians.
”Senator Adamu should regard the opportunity to answer these charges as one of the premium benefits of Nigerian democracy now that he is still presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Al-Makura stated.
