The fisticuffs between the Governor of Adamawa State, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, and the Senator representing him in the 9th Senate Senator Ishaku Abbo – SIA representing the Northern Senatorial District of the State where the duo political cutthroats came from it seems to be unbroken.
This is as a result of the federal government work on the Kudzum Bridge, Linking Michika Local Government Area and Madagali of the state of which of recent people promoting Governor Fintiri on social media are claiming to be the sole financier of rebuilding the bridge destroyed by insurgents in 2014.
This seems to anger Senator Abbo’s camp who know the Sacrifices SIA made to ensure that the bridges are rebuilt.
The Kudzum bridge is linking and is a leeway bridge to communities of Adamawa from the Northern Zone and borders Borno state from the Southern zone , Abbo said is purely the work of President Muhammadu Buhari following a motion he raised for the rebuilding of the bridge.
Abbo’s PSA Yusuf Samuel on a Telephone conversation with our reporter gave the historic background of how the bridge was awarded to RHAS construction company limited when Binta Masi Garba was representing the area as the Senator.
According to Ishaku’s aide, Governor Ahmadu has been in one way or the order sabotaging, frustrating the completion of the roads, bridge projects since August 2019 because he wanted the bridge to remain an abandoned projects so that people will blame its lack on completion on Senator Abbo who is the most senior federal Government elected official from the zone.
“This Man since August 2019 has been doing everything possible to frustrate the completion of the work. Senator Abbo once sat with him in his office, all He discovered that the Governor was frustrating the ongoing project by everything possible within his power and take the glory from the legislators who pushed harder to see that the bridge is rebuilt.” He said
He went memory lane to say that Senator Abbo visited the bridge in 2019 and 2020 and moved a motion for the completion of the work, visited the minister of works alongside Sen Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani, Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe and they insisted that the work should be done.
But according to him, the company along the line didn’t meet up with the expected standard to carry on with the work, one of the reasons the Ministry of works could not make budget provisions for the next fiscal year.
“When we discovered the weaknesses of the company, Senator Abbo moved for the revocation of the project, along the line I know that it will take time to work on the bridge, He approached NEDC to take over the bridge to be constructed. Now that he have asserted my authority and the bridge is almost completed, the Governor is busy buying data for his data boys on social media to claim it’s his project same way he is busy going about inspecting many federal Government projects in Adamawa state. Glory hacker!
Abbo’s aide continues to say that it is worrisome Governor Ahmadu gave his social media assailants a go-ahead to rampage the social media by propagating that he owned the ongoing and the completed projects as awarded by the federal government.
“Governor Fintiri has criminally claimed what does not belong to him, instead of him to say thank you President Muhammadu Buhari, for doing the work but paid his “data boys” to revamp the social media in trying to claim the ownership of the work that he knows nothing about.
“Fintiri is fond of going about to inspect federal government projects. He has no business in inspecting the federal government projects. This is purely our work and he has no business with it.
” Can you imagine that Governor Fintiri went to Madagali to go and inspect the work of petroleum equalization trust fund after We requested for an intervention project to build a world class clinic in Madagali? Fintiri has been going there to inspect the work. Imagine this man”
“The work of MCRP from Samiya Mubi to Bazza, about twenty-five kilometers is federal government work, it’s a not a state government project also but the Governor goes about claiming our work.
“May I reiterate that While Fintiri is building political fly under a bridge in front of Jimeta modern market where there is no much economic value, I’m building Bridges for my people. The work that is economically viable, linking our communities who are farmers and business people.
” I tell you the government of Fintiri is doing nothing more than propaganda and siphoning public funds.
The Senator who also took to his Facebook official page made categorical statements how Governor Ahmadu is claiming projects done by the federal government through efforts made by him and said:
“We are quietly committed to developmental projects that will stimulate the economic growth of our people. Recently work was completed on Mubi – Vimtim – Bazza road spanning 33.5 Km constructed by the Federal Government through MCRP. The road was last constructed in 1981 and remained in a Dilapidated and wasted state for forty ( 40) years. Today we have changed the narrative. The road is smooth as silk. All thanks to President Buhari who listened to us.
“The Senate Committee on Special Duties will soon be in Mubi to oversight the road and ascertain its quality.
“Again in 2014 bridges linking Southern Borno and Adamawa particularly bridges in Madagali and Michika was destroyed. I promised to get them fixed during my tenure. In August 2019 I paid a visit to the site and twice interacted with the Honourable Minister of Works. I also moved a motion in the Senate to revoke the contract and award it to the Army Corps of Engineers. As pressure mount and the Ministry of works could not provide budgetary provisions because RHAS the company didn’t submit any Job compilation certificates. We approached NEDC to fund only the bridges and leave the funding of the roads to the ministry.
“Today works on the bridges are on final stages. This Job is 100% Federal Government owned and funded.
“While we appreciate Gov. Fintiri for building the bridge in front of Jimeta modern market called FLY UNDER I equally appreciate President Mohammadu Buhari for building the bridges linking the Governor’s village. Fly under for you and bridges that are badly needed for me.
“We do developmental projects, not political projects.
“Soon the Senate Committee on Special duties which I am a member will visit those projects on oversights.”
Efforts to speak with the Governor’s Director of Communications and Media, Mr Solomon Kumangar failed. Our reporter made further efforts to speak with Mr Humwashi Wonosiko, Governor Ahmadu’s Press Secretary also failed.
However the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on social mobilisation, Mr Victor Dogo said is unfortunate Senator Abbo is brewing a political feud that’s now an open war to Governor Fintiri who he regarded as a friend and a Brother.
Dogo however said he wouldn’t have been necessary to respond to assertions that falls short of the real description of “value. ”
According to him Adamawa state have never had it this good, as Governor Fintiri has come onboard with a clear blue print of development for the state socioeconomically, structurally as well as human capacity development.
“The transformation of a state from a colonial posture into a modern city with fly overs and interchange with the basic infrastructures for today’s business is considered by my brother as not being of value! Anyway probably he is considering one part of our state alone.
“To be a Governor is a state responsibility, in which all the zones are being upgraded to reduce the strain on the central facilities being put in place by building cottage hospitals, general hospitals, rural road networks, light and supporting projects alike as widely distributed all over the state by Governor Ahmadu.
“The first thing I wish Cliff should know, is that Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is embarking on sustainable adjustable projects for now and the future of Adamawa state This in mind considering the influx of businesses and progress now visible by the relocating back to Adamawa state by most entrepreneurs.
The shocker of my life was the statement made by Cliff that a Governor should not inspect any project being done by the federal government in his state.
“Also the Senator was beating round the fact that he has observed roles and positive projects being embarked upon by our Governor, so why is Cliff having a displaced priority? Instead of being a part of the state’s development he goes about with a mindset of divide.
The thought of him being in another world yet from Adamawa state, makes me question if the other Senators that have been collaborating with their Governor to move the state forward are divine compared to him.
“The maturity shown by the other Senators seems to expose the lack of fact and understanding of what the role, functions and capacity required of him.
Do you know that apart from most projects being paid for directly by the ATM governor, virtually every counterpart fund that attracts projects to this state from various bodies have been paid for by Governor Fintiri. I do not think we have to explain that, nothing by government is in isolation, and every move by his Excellency to improve Adamawa state for all, benefits Senator Cliff as well.
“The Senator said that the Governor is claiming to be the sole financier, meaning he believes that the governor is part of the projects, then why the cry?
Also he claimed that the Governor pushes for projects to be done for the people at his own “Cliff’s peril, how sad is this?
“Well thank you for accepting some realities, but for the records know this, NCRP embarks on projects attested to by the States, making the state governor eligible to ensuring the project is executed properly. This is because all the corresponding refunds are states deductions to federal government commitments and releases from the world bank via federal government surety to States.
“Finally the Governor of the state is never interest in mincing words, neither should we as his immediate close aides engage in the exchange of words on unfounded views.
“This is Adamawa and Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is the State Executive of the whole state, while Senator Cliff remains a legislator of his state.” Dogo said
