Gombe — A house belonging to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Aliu Umaru Moddibo, in his home town, Kumo, has been marked for demolition by the Gombe State government to give way for the construction of a township road and a central round about .

THISDAY checks reports that the plan to demolish some structures in order to give way to what the government call development in the area is already heating up the polity in the state. Some highly placed personalities are said to have gone to the extent of employing "prayer contractors/merchants to pray against the plan . Goje,according to reports,is however taking the development in his strides with a determination to go ahead without minding whose ox is gored.

Speaking at the Government House,Gombe while receiving the delegation from Akko Local Government Council, the Minister's Local Government Council, the Governor said it is amazing that the Minister who could lead a bulldozer to demolish people's houses in Abuja will now be raising alarm over the same issue back at home.

He stated that even when a similar exercise affected the house of the former governor of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu, "there was no serious rancour of this magnitude, where Mallams were summoned to pray against the government." He said that houses belonging to members of the executive council, state House of Assembly and even his own were affected by previous and on-going roads rehabilitation and reconstruction in different towns across the state without anybody complaining.

" I can't imagine somebody will be in Abuja demolishing people's houses and assuming his, will not be demolished,even, if it is to give way for developmental projects,"Goje said .

He said all he had done and is still doing for the state and Akko local government in particular was with clear conscience and in the spirit of development .He stated that he cannot therefore fathom the rationale for the criticism when all are aware of the challenges that culminated in the agitation for the creation of the state.

The Governor then stressed that no amount of distraction,intimidation and misrepresentation of facts would deter his administration's focus on delivering good governance, even as he reminded those he called his detractors that he is not an opportunist who depend on political appointments ,saying he won his elections all through.

Earlier in their remarks, Chairman of Akko Local government, Alhaji Usman Bello Akko and the state Commissioner of Sports, Alhaji Ahmed Yayari as well as the Emir of Akko, Alhaji Mohammed Umar Atiku while thanking the Government for the developmental efforts declared their unalloyed solidarity saying they supported whatever would bring progress and development to the land.