Gombe — Embattled Bauchi State Deputy Governor Alhaji Mohammad Garba Gadi yesterday denied all the allegations levelled against him as contained in the impeachment notice served on him by the State House of Assembly, describing them as baseless and unfounded.

In his response to the allegations in a 10-page letter addressed to the Speaker with reference number DG\ADM\PER\V.I\52 and dated June 30th, 2009 the Deputy Governor declared that the allegations were not true and said whatever he did with regard to the issues raised in the letter were either done in accordance with the law, interest of the service or he was not aware of them at all.

Reacting to the allegation of collecting two different estacode for the 2008 Hajj operations, Gadi said, "I did not collect two different estacode during the 2008 Hajj operation as alleged. I applied to His Excellency the Executive Governor of my desire to attend the Hajj of the year 2008 along with my wife and two aides and was duly approved by him on 17th November, 2008."

He said the $33,600 was meant for his wife and the two aides as estacode for two weeks while N2.48million was meant for air tickets through international routes. He said "the sum of N2,204,900 I granted approval on 15th December 2008, was done to cover the cost of travelling expenses for myself, my family members and entourage that received us at the Lagos Airport and Abuja, including costs of local air tickets for some of us."

On the allegation that he made approvals illegally or above his limit, the Deputy Governor said he was compelled to do that due to the frequent absence of the Governor. He said, "The conditional approval given to the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation was granted in the best interest of the service when the event in question was about to take place and His Excellency the Executive Governor was away. Many a times, files\mails are brought to my office from the Government House for urgent consideration, so that service will continue, His Excellency's absence notwithstanding."

Alhaji Garba Gadi said it was during one of Governor Isa Yuguda's frequent trips outside the state or the country that he gave approval to the Ministry of Education for the renovation of its Accounts Section to the tune of N8.26 million on 3rd March 2008, while the approval granted for the release of N105 million for retraining of 100 Maths\Science Teachers was also done due to the Governor's absence.

He also denied heading any association known as Katagum Zone Stakeholders Forum, "not to even talk of withdrawing N17 million from its account with the Yankari Savings and Loans through cheque no. 0643901 of 4th September 2008 or the sum of N127 million through FIN Bank Draft No. 079337 of 24th September 2008. He said his investigation revealed that the cheque, 0643901, for the sum of N1,968,772:56 was issued by Katagum Local government to the Manager of Yankari Savings and Loans Ltd,

Azare branch to pay two contractors, Lamara Mohammed Buda, N537,679:26 with account no. 0310511311 and Mustapha Mukhtar, N1,431,093:30 into account no.0310525051.

He added that though approval was given for the N750,000 for the purchase of handsets for distribution to officers and staff of Ministry of Lands, and Survey in order to motivate them in the due discharge of their duties since November 2008, the amount has not been released by the Ministry of Finance as at today.

It will be recalled that the House on Monday dissolved the panel earlier constituted by the state chief judge to investigate allegations of financial misdeeds by the deputy governor and called for the setting up of a new one "in accordance with the law," saying due process was not followed in constituting the first one.