Outgoing govs frustrating smooth handover, say governors-elect

With just few days to the inauguration of new administrations, Saturday Telegraph checks have revealed that there is no love lost between some incoming and outgoing governors. This is so because some of the governors-elect have alleged that some incumbent governors have set booby traps to frustrate a smooth transition. These clandestine ploys, according to investigations by SOLA ADEYEMO, TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, STEVE UZOECHI, CLEMENT EKONG and ALI GARBA, include frosty relationship and cold cooperation with transition committees set up to usher in a smooth handover, last-minute awards of contracts, and massive appointments of top civil servants by the outgoing governors, among other issues

There seems to be more troubles for some incoming governors, owing to the frosty relationship between them and their would-be predecessors. Based on this, some governors-elect have declared that the incumbent governors, some whom were defeated at the polls or failed in their bid to plant their political surrogates in office, were out to set booby traps for them and cripple their administration from inception. However, the outgoing governors, who would have none of the allegations, cautioned the governors-elect in their respective states, asking them to wait for their turn and be ready to inherit assets and liabilities because government is a continuum.

Adamawa: APC govt selling government properties -Yaya PDP committee acting outside its purview – Duhu

The much touted cooperation between the incoming and the outgoing governors of Adamawa State is dicey since the two political gurus are from different political affiliations.

However, the political tension is manageable as the incumbent governor, Muhammad Umar Jibrilla of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are themselves exhibiting high level of maturity in bringing down the tension.

The Secretary of the Transition Committee of the incoming administration, Mr. John Yaya, who spoke on the level of cooperation, expressed dismay over the attitudes of some members of the ruling APC, who were bent on frustrating the incoming administration. Yaya, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Numan, lamented that of recent, “the outgoing administration has embarked on the sale and auctioning of government properties at their disposal, a situation, he said, could frustrate the smooth administration of the incoming government.” Reacting, APC stalwart, Dr. Umar Duhu, alleged that the PDP Transition Committee in Adamawa State acted outside the purview of its primary assignment.

On employment, Duhu said the state has a statutory Civil Service Commission for the purpose of employment, adding that the employment pass through the commission and challenged the Committee to come up with cogent facts to substantiate their allegations. Fintiri had earlier, while inaugurating a 65-member Transition Committee, warned the outgoing administration “not to embark on aggressive recruitment into the state Civil Service as doing so would be regarded as an exercise in futility since it has political undertone.” He had also in a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Solomon Kumangar, warned banks against giving “arbitrary loans” to the outgoing government.

Bauchi: Our relationship hectic, unhealthy –Kanna

The cold rapport between the outgoing Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, and the state governor-elect, Senator Bala Abdulakadir Mohammed, may linger beyond May 29, if not hurriedly nipped in the bud. This is premised on the frosty relationship which the state government allegedly meted out to the transition committee meant to set the modalities for a smooth transition. Secretary, Media and Publicity Committee to the governor-elect, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Kanna, has described the level of cooperation between the outgoing Abubakar and Mohammed as hectic and unhealthy.

Kanna, who spoke exclusively with Saturday Telegraph on the level of cooperation between the incumbent governor and the incoming one, said there is no smooth ride between the incoming and outgoing governor. He said: “There are so many skepticisms that came up that it was not going to be a smooth ride between us and the outgoing governor. We asked for many information concerning certain government activities but not all the ministries and parastatals obliged us with same. “We asked for so many other things and not all the people concerned gave us the necessary cooperation we deserved.

At a stage, the governor was the one giving us directives to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the SSG gives directives to the Chief of Staff or whosoever before everybody would assemble his document and present it to the committee. Thank God that has almost being finish.

“Ask we speak, they are rounding off with their reports with all the 37 committees presenting their reports which means that we have a hectic cooperation.” The governor’s aides have however denied all the allegations.

Ajimobi frustrating us – Oyo PDP alleges

One of the Oyo State Transition Committee members, who obliged information, but pleaded not to be quoted, told Saturday Telegraph, that: “The transition committee of the outgoing government of Senator Abiola Ajimobi is not cooperating with our committee at all.” The source added: “They are not releasing any documents from those we demanded.

The handing-over documents are still being hidden from us till now. They are indeed frustrating smooth transition. “This is one of the reasons the party and the governor-elect, Engr. Seyi Makinde, have been shouting about the series of questionable contracts the government keeps awarding. Our committee is not comfortable with this situation at all.”

Okorocha plotting to sabotage us – Omeihe

The Secretary, Media and Publicity Sub-committee of the Emeka Ihedioha inauguration committee, Mr. Emeka Omeihe, has alleged that actions and foot-dragging by the Governor Rochas Okorocha administration barely days to the commencement of activities for the inauguration ceremony of the incoming governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, is indicative of deliberate plot to undermine the exercise. Omeihe in a statement said: “Sequel to discussions with the government of Imo state on the need for a smooth and successful swearing-in and handover ceremonies in the state on May 29, 2019, the Governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, raised a 31-man committee to interface with the 21-man team set up by the state government to work out details of the program for the exercise. The two committees met formally on three different occasions. There were also other meetings by the leadership of the two committees.

“After a painstaking exercise, they reached agreement on a program of activities that will lead to successful and hitch-free swearing-in and handover ceremonies. In the course of one of these meetings, committee members paid a courtesy call on His Excellency, Governor Rochas Okorocha who promised to do all within his powers to ensure a successful and eventful swearing-in and handover ceremonies in the state come May, 29, 2019,” he said.

‘Lagos govt not cooperative’

In Lagos State, Saturday Telegraph gathered that the outgoing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led government is not giving the necessary support to the Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu ahead of the May 29 swearing in ceremony. A reliable source in the camp of the governor-elect said the development may be as a result of the fall-out of the APC governorship primaries in Lagos, considering how Sanwo-Olu defeated the incumbent Governor Ambode to pick the party’s governorship ticket and also won the March 9 gubernatorial poll. The source however believe that despite the perceived coldness from the incumbent government, there is no cause for alarm, noting that the May 29 swearing-in ceremony is a state function and therefore Lagos State is expected to finance it.

The source said: “I don’t think there is anything to worry about the inauguration ceremony. People are just creating unnecessary issue.

There is no serious problem. Everybody know their stance from day one. There is no way they can support us now. So, there is no gain-saying that things are the way they are. “When we were having election, Ambode didn’t give us any money to campaign for the election. Is it now in the time of inauguration that he will support us? The truth is that whether he likes it or not, the inauguration is a state function, so the state has to fund it. I don’t think there is any problem. We are moving on”, he said.