Account For N89B Loan Collected By Your Administration, Sokoto APC Attacks Tambuwal

Gbolahan Salman Sokoto

The All Progressive Congress (APC), in Sokoto State has called on the state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to give account of stewardship over the total sum of N89B loan approved by the state assembly in less than four years.

The chairman of the party in the state, Honourable Isa Sadiq Acida, stated this while addressing a press conference at the party secretariat in Sokoto on Tuesday.

The party called on the state house of assembly to invite all the political heads of relevant ministries or departments to brief the house on the desirability of the loans.

These, the chairman said will provide oversight functions by the members as well as afford them the opportunity of knowing the relevant accounting officers and political leaders to hold responsible, should the loans be misappropriated or misapplied.

The party however advised Banks not to grant any further loan being applied for saying, “doing so will be at their own risk”

The party also in it’s reaction to the recent budget presentation by the state governor, which the party described as budget of cover-up with no consideration for the electorates.

“What we saw was nothing but misplacement of priorities, a bundle of contradictions and aims to uplift the personal comfort of political office holders, over and above providing essential services to the people.

“There is also the case of duplication of projects, where a road project (Dogondaji to Sabawa), quoted at #600million was also duplicated at #1Billion.

“A further critical observation of the Budget presentation, shows that the key sectors of Education, Health and Agriculture mentioned as enjoying lion share allocations, were actually relegated with meager percentages in the Capital breakdown. (For example, Education which was mentioned to have received 18% in the sectoral allocation, in actual fact, ended up with below 3% of the Capital allocation).

“The provision of #914million for assistance to Covid19 victims looks rather suspicious at this point in time, considering the fact that by Allah’s Grace, the impact of Covid was rather low in Sokoto State. Even the Federal Government has relaxed the Covid 19 Protocol, which is a clear indication that the threat has drastically reduced. Perhaps, one would have been better convinced, if the allocation was meant to cushion the effects of poverty, inflicted on the people of Sokoto State by the seven years of PDP administration, since a recent report of the National Bureau of Statistics has shown Sokoto as leading all the States of the Federation on the poverty table.

“Also in the Budget presentation, the Government has proposed the sum of #1.5Billion for the procurement of new vehicles for Commissioners and its uncountable Special Advisers.

“This particular proposal betrays the Government’s sense of priority, when essential services such as Water Supply, Education, Health facilities and drugs, Fertilizer and Rural roads remain ignored.

“It is however pleasing to observe that as election approaches and the heat begins to rattle them, the PDP administration is embarking on some panicky measures, such as the appointment of five new commissioners, in an attempt to boost its support base. Unfortunately, it is too late to cry, when the head is off. The PDP has already lost the support of the people of Sokoto State.

“We in the Sokoto State APC have been following developments in the Sokoto State House of Assembly with keen interest. Lately, there has been a stand off, arising from moves to secure loans by the Sokoto State Government, which was met with stiff resistance, from APC members of the house”

According to the APC members, a total of #89Billion loans have been approved by the house since its inauguration after the last Elections, without commensurate performance to justify further securing of additional.

Reacting to the allegations, the state Commissioner for information, Hon. Akibu Dalhatu, condemned APC for spreading fake and unverified news.

The commissioner said it is wrong for anyone to condemned the budget as presented by the governor as irrelevant based on political reasons.

He said every loan collectcted by the state is used for their purpose which was for developmental projects as delivered for the use of the people of the state.