N5.4bn Investigation: You Can’t Intimidate Me – Sen Adamu Tells Gov. Al-makura

Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District, says he would not yield to blackmail and intimidation by Nasarawa state Gov. Umaru Al-makura.

Through a statement issued yesterday by his legislative aide, Alhaji Jibrin Abdulahi, in reaction to the constitution of a nine-man probe committee by his state governor.

As earlier reported by Naija News, Al-makura set up the committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the abandonment of the N5.4 billion Farin-Ruwa Independent Power Plant project.

Abdullahi Adamu, who was the former governor of the state, had awarded the Farin-Ruwa hydro-electricity power project in May 2004.

Adamu said the decision to investigate the certain activities carried out when he served as governor is welcomed.

He however stressed that if the move is aimed at intimidating or blackmailing him into succumbing to the governor, it would not work.

“I will not succumb to blackmail and intimidation over my political differences with that of the governor.

“Everything we did while I was governor of Nasarawa State were done openly and transparently, and the records are there for public scrutiny.

“The Farin Ruwa Project was never abandoned as insinuated but, since government is a continuum, I expected my successor to complete the project after his two terms in office,” he said.

The statement further explained that it was in view of the viability of that project that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources had now taken over the completion of the project.

“This is not only with the intention of completing the proposed 20MW power component, but is also considering the possibility of incorporating other components like irrigation and water supply,” he said.

He noted that the Farin Ruwa dam project had reached over 60 percent completion stage by 2007 when he left Office as chief executive of the state.

“This was duly acknowledged by Governor Al-Makura when the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources visited him in Lafia barely two months ago to announce the Federal Government’s decision to take over the project.

“It is therefore pure mischief and an attempted blackmail for him (Governor Al-Makura) to turn round and say he is investigating the handling of that project under my watch,” Adamu said.

On the lease agreement for management of Keffi Hotels, Adamu said a private company with which he was associated with, Pan-Afric Resources Limited, entered into a lease agreement with the then Plateau State Military Administration of Col. Joshua Madaki (now late) in 1990-91, which was about five years before Nasarawa State was created.

“I believe the great value addition that we have done to the hotel made successive governments in our state, including Umaru’s which is due to leave Office in a few months, to allow us to continue as concessionaires in the hotel.

“I think the fact that Pan-Afric Resources has complied with the terms of the lease agreement and has turned the abandoned property to what it is and it has now become a source of jealousy for Governor Al-Makura, who has now turned into a hotelier since becoming governor”, Adamu said.

The senator described the setting up of the probe panel as “a political misadventure and an exercise in futility that was clearly misguided”.

“It was hastily done to see if I would be forced into accepting the abuse of the democratic process enshrined in the Constitution of our party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the process of selecting a governorship aspirant of the party for the 2019 election.

“That, I believe, shouldn’t come from a person who is politically mature and wants to be reckoned with even after he leaves office”, Adamu said.

The former governor said that as a law abiding citizen, he would continue to accord Al-Makura due respect as governor of his home state.

Adamu therefore urged Al-makura to ensure that the 2019 elections goes through the democratic tenets in line with the party’s Constitution.