Andrew Agbese
24 August 2009
interview
Abuja — How do you assess Isa Yuguda's administration in Bauchi State, two years after?
I have been part of this administration. I worked under Yuguda for the past two years as special adviser on housing and environment but sincerely speaking, I became disappointed the way things are going at present. The financial situation of the state is very bad and I think it is the worst in the country today. All the projects that are supposed to be completed are now abandoned due to poor funding and inability to pay contractors. The funds and grants that are coming to Bauchi today cannot service the ongoing projects. Even if the grant due to Bauchi State from now to 2015 is released, it cannot clear the debt on the state. Bauchi has collapsed under Governor Yuguda.
But he has provided hospitals with drugs, renovated schools, he even offered to be teaching economics in some secondary schools. All these cannot be signs of collapse.
Well, you see, if one is wearing an innocent face, there's nothing he cannot do or say that people would not believe. He made so many promises to the people of Bauchi State. If you can remember in 2007 during the gubernatorial election, the people of Bauchi State, males and females, young and old everybody came out to support Yuguda to see that he becomes governor. But later he disappointed almost everybody. All the schools were there in place, he only renovated them, I know that. But most of them are now abandoned, he cannot pay the contractors and at the same time the work done does not justify the monies paid to the contractors, including the hospitals as well. And if you go there personally now, you will see what I am saying.
But there must be something on ground, because they say he bought brand new cars for civil servants, increased salaries of workers...
You know if you want to be accepted by the people, when you come to power initially, you will do the right thing. But later the selfish interest will show. That's exactly what is happening. So Malam Isa Yuguda came with the intention of uplifting the standard of living of Bauchi people. But after succeeding and grabbing what he wanted, then he became something else. He is now a different person.
But are the salaries up to date, are there drugs in the hospitals, are there books in public schools, isn't there anything positive going on in Bauchi State?
Yes, all the drugs he said he purchased for the hospitals and the books in the schools, are all based on the loans he collected. He didn't justify what he has collected; he has collected so much and he's still borrowing.
Recently, the deputy governor was impeached. What do you make of that?
Actually there was no need for that. I didn't support it. Because the deputy governor has been in ANPP, he brought ANPP to Bauchi State. Isa Yuguda met him in ANPP, they gave him the cover and the mandate, he contested under the platform of the ANPP and won election. Now that he wants to return to the PDP, he insisted the deputy governor should join him or must join him. But the deputy governor said ANPP belongs to him, that is where he belongs, Yuguda met him there, so why is he insisting that he must join him in the PDP? That's when the problem started. But actually, what has taken place is unconstitutional.
But they said he collected double estacode for the same trip. Is that not enough ground to remove him?
These are all flimsy excuses. It has not been said earlier, why now? It is supposed to be said earlier that this man has done such things but why now that he refused to decamp to the PDP? He is supposed to be told or penalised earlier than now not now that he refused to decamp to the PDP.
Now that former speaker has become the deputy governor, what is the implication to Bauchi politics?
As far as I am concerned, Bauchi politics is in a difficult situation because the speaker himself participated in the impeachment because he is rushing to become the deputy governor of the state. Politics in Bauchi used to be the best, but now a lot of things have gone wrong just within two years. Bauchi State has become different; it is the worst in terms of management, financial prudence and whatever in this country. If Yuguda thinks he still has the support of the people of Bauchi State today, I think he is deceiving himself. He came through 'a kasa, a raka, a tsare,' which was General Buhari's idea and the people of Bauchi State accepted it and practicalised it. But the same Yuguda that enjoyed Buhari's support went on air accusing Buhari. He has completely lost that support. Everywhere you go in Bauchi State all the people that voted for him are waiting to show him their other side. So 2011 for Isa Yuguda, I know it is only God that will determine that, but I am afraid for him.
People will say that when you were in government you did not say anything, it is after you have been dropped that you are talking. How can you defend this?
I was a special adviser to Yuguda on housing and environment and even now if he appoints me, I will not take it because I cannot be a party to a mess.
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