The Periscope reporter
Political seeming scandals, seem to be brewing in Adamawa state; the APC as opposition party tries to defend the former governor Bindow; exonerating him from the allegation of cluelesness and projecting him as the most “performance personified governor the state ever had and never to have a competitor. A claim, which the present administration considered as misleading metaphor in its most hyperbolic essence.
There is equally and more particularly, perceived scandal within PDP, the ruling party in the state; between and among the party members.
Between Dr. Umar Ardo led faction and the Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri led government is a muscle flexing to have a hold on the PDP as a political party in the state, said to be in preparation for 2023 primaries.
Between Sen Ishaku Abbo and Fintiri is analysed to be a performance muscle flexing where Abbo keeps alleging that Governor Fintiri reaps where he does not sow; tagging him as a scam.
Supporters of Sen Abbo, representing the northern senatorial district, where Governor Fintiri himself hailed from, have since started a 2023 governorship campaign in favour of Abbo against Fintiri’s second term even when the Fintiri led government is less than one year to have decided whether or not to go for a second chance.
The aids to the Adamawa state governor have not however found it any stress by means of response, dismissing the allegations as byproducts of figments of politicised imagination; as aborted sabotage; as mere academic exercise so unpopular to the socio-economic political realities and as exercise in futility.
Addressing newsmen Friday, in Abuja, Mr. Michael B. Bolgent the Special Assistance on Media to Sen Ishaku Abbo, addressed by some as simply SIA and known to others as Cliff, has called on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to respect his office and stop the scam against the good people of Adamawa state.
Bolgent alleged that governor Fintiri fantastically manipulated to monopolise the arrangement of installing transformers donated by the North East Development Commission NEDC, resulting from lobby by Sen Abbo, with a view to getting Garkida out of darkness.
“Our attention has been drawn to a certain publication peddled around by the Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri camp that the transformers donated by North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to Garkida community were as a result of the lobbies of Ahmadu Fintiri.
“Contrary to their claim, it was Senator Ishaku Abbo – SIA – who is the only Adamawa Senator in the Committee of Special Duties under which North-East Development Commission (NEDC) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) are domiciled.
“On 1st April 2020, young people from Garkida drew the attention of SIA to their plight which made Distinguished Senator Ishaku Abbo – SIA put a call and had a lengthy discussion with the Chairman of NEDC who is also a son of Garkida. He also had a meeting with the MD of North-East Development Commission (NEDC), and they assured him that it would be taken into immediate consideration.
“After consistent lobby, and when the transformers were released, the MD, NEDC called SIA to inform him that the transformers have been purchased.
“In gratitude, Senator Ishaku Abbo on the 4th of May, 2020 took to his official social media handle to appreciate the management of NEDC for approving the purchase and release of the transformers and also appreciating the good citizens who called his attention and asked him for help.
“Fintiri should, therefore, concentrate on working for the People of Adamawa in Adamawa with the huge monies he is receiving from the Government and he should let senators work in their own committees for the people.
“Recall, that NEDC gave the approval of over four hundred and thirty million Naira (N430, 000, 000) to reconnect electricity from Mararaba Mubi to Limankara in Madagali Local Government Area, covering forty-six (46) communities. When Fintiri got tipped of the information, He went and brought the Engineer working on Toungo Electricity to climb poles deceiving the poor masses that he is the one doing the project, stopping NEDC from coming to work.
“Today, when the NEDC was delivering the transformers to Garkida Community, Fintiri sent the Commissioner for rural Rehabilitation who joined the convoy on the road, falsely claiming to be the one that got the transformers for them. Fintiri should STOP THIS SCAM,” Bolgent said.
The Periscope reporter sought to here from the media aid, governor Fintiri’s side of the story for a balance. The DG Media and Communications to the Governor, Mr Solomon Kumangar sent the following by means of response:
“The three transformers sent to Garkida town, donated by NEDC, are actually as a result of lobby by and consistent insistence of His Excellency Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri out of his wisdom to ensure that his request was honored and the consignments touched ground in Garkida town.
“The idea of providing Garkida with new transformers followed the activities of Boko Haram insurgents, among which was the destruction of transformers in Garkida.
Abbo’s ranting is more of a scam than what he is alleging governor Fintiri, for failing to provide evidence of communication between him and the NEDC, which ought t be attached to his story.
“If he feels Fintiri hijacked the glory, as chairman house committee on special duties, he should fetch out those snitches at NEDC who betrayed him and gave Fintiri the glory unless otherwise he’s pointing accusing finger at the chairman of the commission who happens to be his kinsman.
“The questions that beg for answers will still be asked; why is Abbo always trying to identify himself with projects that he hasn’t initiated? Why is it that people of Adamawa Northern Zone up till now can not pinpoint a project done by Ishaku Abbo? Is Ishaku really protecting the interest of his people or is he there at the Senate just shadow boxing?
“It is shameful indeed to see a whole senator foaming about just transformers, when the world is battling to contain an invisible pandemic, where he the so-called senator failed in his cooperate responsibility.”
The narrativisations of the flexing of performance muscles; claiming credit and discrediting each other’s claims, in the face of COVID-19 pandemic, is becoming literarily interesting and investigation worthy. This indeed takes another report.