Yahaya Idris, Lafia.
Following allegations on siphoning of the sum of one billion naira meant for renovation of two hundred and eight public schools in Nasarawa State against the erstwhile Hon. Commissioner for Education and current Secretary to Nasarawa State Government, Hon. Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, appeared before the state House of Assembly to make clarifications on the alleged siphoning of one billion naira meant for the renovation of 208 public schools when he was the Commissioner for Education.
He explained that the Ministry of Education received the sum of one billion naira only from Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura led administration in November, 2018 and subsequently released nine hundred and eighty two million naira only to facilitators, leaving the sum of eighteen million naira only in the Ministry’s coffers.
The Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, constituted an Adhoc Committee to further investigate the matter.
The Adhoc Committee, which was drawn from the House Standing Committees on Education, Finance and Appropriation, and Public Accounts was given the mandate of investigating the veracity or otherwise of the allegations and report to the House for onward action.
Mr Yahaya Abdulrahman is the Media aide to Executive Chairman Nasarawa LGC in his comment on the matter stated that” considering the position of the State House of Assembly before the Law of the Land, one expects every well meaning citizen of the State to await patiently but with avid interest and concern for the outcome of the investigation. Passing judgement or making any unhealthy assumption at this material time is a wrong move.”
He regretted that pseudo groups who, by their actions, are being influenced by ulterior motives, are calling for the head of Tijani, disregarding the constitutional responsibility of the State Assembly that is to act on matters such as the one under investigation.
Accordingly to Abdulrahman, these groups have been waiting for the flimsiest reasons to attack the personality of Aliyu Tijani, who has over the years, served the State with uncommon diligence, commitment, passion and patriotism.
It would be recalled that Hon. Aliyu Tijani Ahmed’s political career started way back in 2008 where he served as Council Secretary, Nasarawa Local Government and was later elected as Executive Chairman, Nasarawa Local Government Council.
It was while serving as Nasarawa Local Government Council Chairman that His Excellency, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, the former Governor of Nasarawa state appointed him as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
In all the Offices he occupied, Tijani was never for once found wanting. In fact, his unrivaled foresight, forthright and dogged stand for the progress and development of the State earned him trust, leading to the appointive and elective Offices he occupied and is still occupying .
“Trust, his greatest political asset is envied by his detractors, hence the ploy to drag him to the mud.
“In a cabinet reshuffle, Aliyu Tijani Ahmed was reappointed as Commissioner for Education. Before then, he had worked with the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and Nasarawa State University, Keffi. It is rather unwise to imagine that he would ever attempt to cause setback to the provision of standard education in the State.
“We cannot forget in a hurry, the many schools that were renovated across the State while he was Commissioner for Education. If some of the contracts are yet to be completed, the contractors are in a better position to explain further. .
“Peddlers of falsehood targeted at smearing Tijani are therefore advised to desist from doing so as no amount of misinformation can either kill his spirit for promoting purposeful, innovative and people-driven governance nor paint him black before the people of Nasarawa State. The mission is dead on arrival.” Tijani’s supporters stated.
