Rakiya A.muhammad
5 November 2009
Sokoto — The commission of inquiry set up by the Sokoto State government to probe the immediate past government of Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa has recommended that the former governor and some of his officials refund the sum of N2.9b to the state. "Let's meet in court," the indicted persons replied. But what are the people saying?
When in September last year, the Sokoto State government appointed a commission of inquiry to look into the activities of certain agencies in the administration of former governor, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, the question many asked was is whether it was a sincere probe or a political witch-hunt.
Right from onset, it was held in some quarters that the probe panel was as an attempt by Governor Aliyu Wamakko to destroy the public image of his predecessor and former boss.
But the state government insisted that it was merely a fact finding mission and a move to correct the misdeeds of the past. The panel's Secretary, Alhaji Dahiru Abbas, had also said the commission was put in place with a view to setting precedence and instil sanity in the management of public funds.
A year after its appointment, the commission of inquiry is out with a result which has continued to elicit annotations. Former governor, Bafarawa, and some others who served in his government have been asked to refund N2.9b to government coffers. And they must pay, Governor Wamakko has insisted. But Bafarawa has called the entire exercise a tool for blackmail, saying he is prepared to meet with the government in court. In view of the muzzles being flexed, many observers are keen on seeing how the matter will end up with time.
The commission headed by Alhaji Muhammadu Aminu Ahmad was mandated to look into the activities of Pilgrims Welfare Agency, State/Local government Joint Account and Ministry of Water Resources.
However, when it submitted its report on Monday October 26,2009 , only findings on the Local Government Joint Account were contained therein while investigation into the other two were said to have been met with problems.
Commission's chairman explained that the inquiry into the Pilgrims Welfare Agency was suspended as a result of a court injunction served on the commission by the Federal High Court Abuja in a case filed against it by one of the witnesses, Alhaji Umarun Kwabo, who was in control of the pilgrims' agency during the period under investigation.
Also, inquiry into the activities of the Ministry of Water Resources could not be made "due largely to the intricacies involved in the issue of iron rods which would require a lot of oversee travels to Europe and the Far East, and which will not be possible in view of time given to the commission," the chairman said.
Nevertheless, barley two days after the report on the State Local Government Joint Account was submitted; the state government on Wednesday, October 29th released a white paper.
The speed with which the white paper came out was surprising to many. Some alleged that the government may have acted fast to prevent any legal action that may stop the government from taking further action on the report.
At the presentation of the white paper, the Sokoto State Attorney -General and Commissioner of Justice, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, declared that the Commission had recommended that the sum of N2.9billion be recovered from the public officers for abuse of public trust.
The probe panel had noted in its report that the state local government joint account was established pursuant to the combined provisions of sections 162(3), (5), (6), (7), and (8) of the constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria 1999.
The panel observed that it was pursuant to Section 162(8) of the 1999 constitution, that the Sokoto State House of Assembly passed the Local government Law 2000, which provides a distribution formula of 91% among the Local government councils in accordance with the principle of equity and in proportion to land area and population; 3% to the Sokoto Emirate Council; 2% to the State Economic Planning Board and 4% contribution to Loans and Common Services Fund.
But the report of commission alleged that this was breached by the government of Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa.
"The disbursement formula of the state local government Joint Account has provided for 100% disbursement of fund standing therein to statutory beneficiaries.
However, the commission has observed that in contravention of this law, certain government organisations who are not provided for as beneficiaries have over the time been receiving funds for their operations from the Joint Account."
Local Government Service Commission, Universal Basic Education Board, Primary Teachers Pension Board were listed as organisations that were reportedly benefiting from the state/local government joint account, unduly.
In summary, the former governor and others who were signatories to the Joint Account that is Muhammad Bello Sifawa, Sambo Bello Danchadi and former Director of Finance are to refund N2.2billion while the former secretary to the state government, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi was asked to refund N292miilion, former special Adviser on rural electrification, Tukur Alkali N343million.
Consequently, the Justice Commissioner alerted that failure of the affected persons to refund the said amounts would lead to their prosecution for offences of criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
The state Attorney-General reveals that necessary steps would be taken to recover the funds.
To him, the current efforts of the government would serve as eye opener to public officers that nobody is above the law and that nobody is immune to prosecution.
But will the erstwhile state chief executive and his lieutenants refund the said money?
"I don't know how they found me guilty. I asked them to give me written charges so that I will respond but they refused. When I went to the commission, I asked them to invite the governor to explain some of the things because he was the commissioner for local government, but he refused," Bafarawa has said.
The former governor who appeared before the commission once adds: "All the witnesses that went to the commission testified that nobody gave me money nor did I instruct anybody to give somebody money on my behalf. In fact there was no where my name was mentioned in public funds."
He sums up his stand on the issue, "the commission of Inquiry is meant to blackmail me for reasons best known to him, I believe he is just wasting his time and we are going to prove with figures very soon. If at all there is any N2.9 billion to be refunded, then it is with Wamakko. Let's meet in court and I will prove that to him"
In the same vein, speaking with Daily Trust on the matter, former secretary to the Sokoto state Government, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi who is also implicated by the report, dismissed the accusations as "a hatched agenda for a particular purpose."
Dingyadi who was governorship candidate of the DPP in the 2007 general elections in the state adds: "In my own case I appeared before the commission about six times or more, at no point did anybody ask me about the aspect they want me to refund."
The former SSG was directed to refund the sum of N292.7 million. According to the report, the amount was payment of stabilization fund to his office from the Joint Account.
"We are not moved by the report...the truth will be made and we are ready to explain ourselves," he added.
A sample of the opinions of people in the state shows that the citizens are divided on the outcome of the probe panel. While some perceive the probe as politically motivated to settle some scores, others say it is a good development for accountability and progress of the state.
Hajiya Amina Sani, a resident of Sokoto metropolis alluded to the report as a political witch-hunt. "I think it is a political vendetta and not a genuine action in the interest of the state. I have no trust in this action of government, most of it amount to nothing, but personal interest"
But supporting the state government's action, Alhaji Abbah Sidi, chairman, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Sokoto state, said nobody should bring politics into the matter it. "If not for the commission of inquiry, all these revelations would not have been known," he said, adding that the CNPP in Sokoto supports government's action.
On his part, human rights activist, Dr. Hussieni Mangu, said what Governor Wamakko did is in order since he is aware that the same might be done to him when he leaves office.
Dr. Mangu who is of the Department of Education, Uthmau DanFodiyo University, Sokoto, said "whether it is politics or not, since the claims against them are official, we the human rights activists are going to follow it up and ensure that this case is proved beyond reasonable doubt."
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