Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu
Sokoto State Government has claimed that Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration has cleared more than ₦5 billion in outstanding student registration and tuition fee debts inherited from the immediate past administration of former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
The government made the claim on Tuesday while responding to the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Manir Mohammed Dan’Iya, who had challenged Governor Aliyu to disclose how much Sokoto State has received from the Federation Account since 2023.
In a statement issued by the Director General, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Abubakar Bawa, the government described Dan’Iya’s demand as unnecessary, insisting that Federation Account allocations are already public information.
“The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in Sokoto State, under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Aliyu, has been drawn to a press release in which the Governorship Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Manir Dan Iya, challenged the state government to disclose the amount it has received from the Federation Account from 2023 to date.”
Bawa added: “First, we believe Dan Iya should be aware that he is living in a modern world where information is readily accessible, thanks to technological advancements that have made the world a global village. Unfortunately, his demand suggests a failure to appreciate the changes and transformations brought about by technological advancement and the increasing availability of public information.”
He continued: “We wish to inform the ADC candidate that allocations to states from the Federation Account are publicly reported through the relevant official channels. Therefore, asking the Sokoto State Government to disclose information that is already in the public domain is unnecessary and, indeed, laughable.”
The government also accused the administration in which Dan’Iya served as deputy governor of leaving behind huge financial liabilities.
According to Bawa, “The state had outstanding student registration and tuition fee obligations, both within Nigeria and abroad, amounting to over N5 billion as well as the outstanding sabbatical allowances for visiting lecturers which were also not paid. The present administration has since cleared these inherited liabilities, including settling outstanding payments owed to students.”
He further stated that Governor Aliyu’s administration is guided by transparency and accountability.
“The administration of Governor Ahmed Aliyu operates on the principles of prudence, accountability and transparency. Government transactions, particularly decisions taken at State Executive Council meetings, are made public, including the amounts approved for the execution of various projects,” Bawa said.
The statement alleged that despite receiving billions of naira in allocations and intervention funds, the previous administration failed to deliver projects that matched the resources available to it.
Bawa said: “Despite receiving billions of naira in monthly allocations, bailouts and other intervention funds, that administration left Sokoto State without commensurate tangible development projects. It also left pensioners waiting for their hard-earned gratuities for six years, denied ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) their monthly imprest and left the state burdened with debts.”
He also alleged that workers under the previous administration experienced delays in salary payments.
“Those who eventually received their salaries often complained of shortfalls, with little or no effective avenue for redress, as payments were processed outside the State,” he said.
The government further claimed that when Governor Aliyu assumed office in May 2023, many public institutions, including the Government House, were without electricity because of unpaid bills.
Bawa also highlighted what he described as the achievements of the current administration.
“Dan Iya should also be reminded that the present administration has implemented the new minimum wage for workers across the state and local government services, including Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) staff.”
He added: “Furthermore, the government has recruited 3,100 workers who have already been deployed to various MDAs, alongside 2,400 health workers and 1,550 personnel for the Sokoto Marshall, as part of its commitment to strengthening public service delivery and enhancing security.”
According to him, the administration has also embarked on projects in road construction, water supply, education, healthcare, security, rural development and religious affairs.
Bawa said the APC government would seek re-election based on what it described as its performance in office.
“Against this background, we reiterate that the APC-led administration in Sokoto State will campaign for re-election based on its record of achievements and the tangible projects delivered to the good people of the state.”
He challenged Dan’Iya to explain the achievements of the administration in which he served as deputy governor.
“Rather than demanding information that is already publicly available, Dan Iya should tell the people of Sokoto State what the Tambuwal administration, in which he served as Deputy Governor, achieved to deserve another opportunity to govern the state. We shall continue to ask this question throughout the campaign period.”
The statement also accused the previous administration of poor management of public resources and abandoning major projects, including the Rijiya Flyover and Tashar Illela Road, which it said are now being completed by the present administration.
The government maintained that the people of Sokoto State deserve to know why Dan’Iya is seeking another chance to govern after serving in the last administration.
