The Governor of Adamawa, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has recently presented brand new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeeps, Toyota Hilux vehicles worth two hundred million naira to five First Class Traditional Rulers of the state.
A development a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Party, Alhaji Mustapha Umar Madawaki (Mukaddas) said the good gesture done to the revered Monarchs is a misplaced priority.
Umar said that the government of Adamawa led by Fintiri wants to bribe their way in buying the conscience of the traditional rulers building to 2023 elections.
He wondered why the gesture must be done now knowing the fact that the government knows their need for vehicles long ago since their coming into government.
The APC stakeholder condemned the gesture to be a deliberate plan to get their support as 2023 elections are by the corner.
He said the decision to get the exotic vehicles for the first class traditional rulers while pensioners are dying of hunger, battling to pay their children school fees is a grossly insensitivity of the government toward a common Man whose pension and gratuity is their right.
He accused the government of balkanizing the traditional institutions by not doing this long having been in power for over two years.
“Let me tell you the general perception of people over this matter is that the government is trying to bribe them to pipe them low because the government has neglected and caused them a lot of hardship.
”In another way the government is trying to soften their stand, there is a plan which everybody knows of reducing their domain by creating new Chiefdoms to balkanize the existing ones, naturally, they wouldn’t want that to happen. So to me, he gave them these vehicles to get soft landing which many termed to be a bribe.
” How do you give someone a car and don’t have the resources to maintain it? It’s not in good omen, the Intention is not a good one. If the government has good intentions to help them, they would have sat down with them and found out their problems. I’m sure they will tell him things that bother them that are much better than the vehicles he provided.
“It baffled me much for the government to wake up one day and award contract of two hundred million nairas to purchase vehicles for our revered Chiefs and Emirs and pensioners are dying of hunger because they have not been paid, and students are suffering in various high institutions without help.; How do you justify giving students seven thousand nairas in a year? This money can not solve their immediate needs talk more about their whole academic problems.
“Forty years ago students gets one thousand nairas, if you compute the naira value then and now, students get about seven hundred thousand nairas. No matter what, students now should get at least thirty to forty thousand nairas not seven thousand nairas God’s sake.
” If I may ask, What is the government doing with the money is getting? This government has borrowed over one hundred and seventy billion nairas and there is nothing to show for it. Is it the overhead bridges this money was used for? He said he used twenty-five billion nairas to construct the bridge, what about the remaining?
“Investing in human capital development is the best policy. If he gives out this money to 50 students it will help them much better throughout their four years duration in school.
“This government can not convince us that they give students free education, those in the boarding house they eat next to nothing. The Dog I like I can’t feed him with that kind of food and the government is here buying cars for our rulers.
” Yes they need it but they have many problems than that, besides these people drove to government houses with their cars, if you can ask them now they will tell you the vehicles are not their priority
” People may be right to say he brine them because their relationship is sour. For the past two years, he has done nothing apart from creating problems for them. anyway, it is the player’s tax money so it is their entitlement, I’m sure of this they will not do what he wants them to do because they know their rights they are the custodian of the masses.
Mukaddas who is aspiring to be the next Governor of Adamawa State however said is not against the traditional rulers receiving cars from the government, according to him they are citizens of the state and it is their entitlements also.
He praised their efforts in stabilizing the government in the area of security and peaceful coexistence of the State.
According to him they have huge followers, big responsibilities, and earned next to nothing, they deserve more than that considering the enormous task of leading thousands of people in their respective domains, which are Emirates and Chiefdoms.
He worried that the house they are using as a palace and residential are dilapidated with a very poor salary to pay their staff and the meager running cost will not take them well to the next month.
“I think if the government want to assist them properly, buying cars for them now is the least they can think of. I’m sure some things bother them like an increase in their allowances and salaries, taking care of their families needs is a big work. They have their utility bills to settle, they have children and their staff to pay their salaries. I f you give someone a car is an additional burden, taking care of their basic needs is the most expedient for now.” Mustapha reiterated
TG news made efforts to get the reaction of Governor Fintiri’s media aid , Solomon Kumangar failed, the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on social mobilization, Mr. Victor Dogo was contacted and said Mukkadas is speaking from the mindset of opposition be clouded with a vaulting ambition that cannot earn him a seat of Government in many decades to come.
He said the governor Fintiri led government is supersonic moving with all people and what he did to the traditional rulers is a promise fulfill long before now which is aimed to improve their standard of living to give their best for the state.
Dogo accused Mukaddas of drumming an unacceptable drum of war being the fact that the traditional rulers celebrated Fintiri of his people’s oriented policies is implementing.
He said the vehicles are to provide logistics for running, strategizing, planning, and coordinating the affairs of the Traditional Rulers as chief custodians of the chiefdoms accruing that his Administration braces them in high regards.
“The vehicles they are long overdue for a change and our performing Governor can’t be insensitive to the plights of the emirs and chiefs,” Dogo said
He quoted Fintiri to have said that;” the role of the Traditional Institution in fostering peace and unity in our communities cannot be overemphasized, therefore as a responsible Government, we have to carry them along to tap from their wealth of experience.
“And his administration has to rely on the Traditional Ruler for building and maintaining the security and peace of the people because they are closer to people than anyone.”
You would recall that the Lamido Adamawa, HRH Dr. Barkindo Muhammadu Aliyu Mustafa, Emir of Mubi, HRH Alhaji Isa Ahmadu, Hama Batta – Homun Alhamdu Gladstone Tineke, Gangwari Ganye, HRH Alhaji Umaru Adamu Sanda and Amna Shelling, HRH Alhaji Abdullahi Isa Datong got 5 Land Cruiser Jeeps and 5 Hilux Vans as First Class Emirs and Chiefs.
At the presentation occasion and Speaking on behalf of the Emirs, the Lamido of Adamawa Alhaji Dr. Muhammad Barkindo Aliyu Mustafa who is ably represented by the Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Abubakar Isa Ahmadu expressed that the gift will remain indelible in their minds and vowed to use the vehicles for the purpose is meant for.
While thanking Governor Ahmadu for his magnanimity to the Traditional Institution, the Emir reassured him of their unflinching support and loyalty and urged the people to support him to develop the State.
