APC urges probe of alleged missing N150m in Niger

Don accuses gov of bias in appointments  

FOLLOWING the alleged disappearance of N150 million in Government House, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has asked the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello to ensure full investigation into the missing money so as to expose those behind it and punish them.

The party said in line with its stands against corruption, the governor should not spare any member of the party who has soiled its hands by stealing money meant for the government.

The party in a statement in Minna signed by the Publicity Secretary, Jonathan Vatsa stated that for the state to get it right the Governor must tow the line of General Muhammadu Buhari anti-corruption stand and axe any officials found wanting within his government.

The statement is coming on the hills of alleged missing of N150million in government house, which the office of the chief of staff could not account for and this has not gone down well with the governor who insisted that ordered a full-scale investigation into the missing money.

Meanwhile, a lecturer with the Bowen University, Iwo, Osun state, Dr. Yusuf Larry Ayuba has alleged that the Niger state Governor Abubakar Sani Bello and the All Progressive Congress (APC) are indulging in nepotism, ethnicity and marginalization the appointment of key political officers in the state, insisting that the overwhelming vote for change in the state should not be turned into family imposition at the expense of fairness, justice and equity.

The don, in a statement made available to newsmen in Minna accused the party (APC) of attempting to suppress the truth in a statement issued by its state publicity secretary, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa recently.

The party had in the statement condemned Senator David Umaru, representing Niger East Senatorial District for crying out loud against the marginalization of his constituent in the appointments made by the governor and the need to redress the injustice.

The lecturer however, carpeted the party for being biased in handling the complaints from zone B of the state adding that, “We all voted overwhelmingly for change and not family imposition.

So we expect our leaders to be fair and objective over perceived injustices. The APC as a party does not belong to a family. I personally perceive marginalization in the light of what the senator said as Zone B should have produced the SSG, at least to show fairness, equity and acceptance that change has come.”

Still speaking on the missing money, APC said it could not afford to dash the hope of millions of Nigerians who believed in the present administration by going back to the era of outright looting of public funds by government officials to the detriment of the masses.

According to Vatsa in the statement, “Niger State has been looted for the past 8 years to stupor, even if it was yesterday that our dear governor appointed any of our member and he is found wanting the next day such an official should be axed,” the statement admonished.

The party pointed out that the stories emanating from the government house over the disappearance of such huge sums of money with just two months into the life of the administration is very worrisome and it calls for urgent action.

The statement pointed out that for the state to get it right, self-centered government officials who do not see their appointment as service to the people, which is the guiding principle of the present administration, but a way to enrich themselves should be quickly shown the way out.

Vatsa maintained that the APC fought tooth and nail to up stage the PDP elements who were traditionally known for looting, adding therefore that for the government to be seen living above board of what it accused PDP of, deviants within it’s government who refused to abide by the principle of transparent of Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello’s administration must be booted out.