By Tina George, Minna
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, in Niger state, Alhaji Abdulmalik Sarkin Daji, is currently facing public outrage, for posting a video, which showed him presenting an iPhone 11 pro to his wife, at a lavish birthday party.
The video drew reactions from the people of the state, few weeks after salaries of local government workers, were slashed by 20 percent.
When Newsdiaryonline conducted search on the price of the iPhone 11 pro, the price of the particular was discovered to be N400,000. Apple pegged the smartphone at $999, $1149, and $1349 for the 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB models, respectively.
Some of the social media users alluded that the Commissioner had used part of the deducted salaries of local government staff to buy the gift for his wife.
Others who searched for the price of the iPhone said that the amount used to buy it could have been used to pay full salaries of many staff.
There were also others who said that though it was the right of a husband to present a birthday present to his wife but at this period and season, the action called for sensitivity on the plight of the people, especially for the staff whose salaries were slashed.
In the video circulating on Facebook, the Commissioner threw a lavish birthday for his wife, although the video only showed the Commissioner and his wife but at the background, there were various voices and cheers when he presented his wife with the new iPhone 11 pro as a surprise birthday gift.
A Facebook User, John Ekpe wrote, “this Commissioner is heartless. This shows he is making of our plight.”
Another Facebook user, Aliyu Enagi commented, “25 workers salary @ N30,000 each. Allah ya karba. Imagine how many salaries this IPhone will pay?”
Another Facebook user, Muhammad Teekay also wrote with an emoji of outrage, “20% of my mum’s salary”.
Danjikada Agaie wrote, “See where Local Government 20% Enter ooo. May the Almighty help us…”
Others made comments like, “see una 20 percent, they don use am buy iPhone”.
However, responding to the allegation in an exclusive interview with Newsdiaryonline, Sarkin Daji said a N400,000 iPhone is not too big for him to buy for his wife.
The Commissioner explained that the iPhone 11 pro, which he presented to his wife as a birthday gift, was not bought by him but a gift by some of his friends during his own birthday.
“I did not even know the make of the phone. When it was given to me as a birthday gift by a commercial bank my ministry operates an account with. I decided to keep it for my wife’s birthday to give it to her especially as she had earlier indicated interest in it.
“People buy car for their wife if they have the means so why the blackmail that I bought phone for my wife. This is my wife we are talking about, nothing is too big to give to her, besides, I can afford it. To me, this is mischievous, wicked and an attempt to tarnish my image because I am a Commissioner,” he retorted.
Sarkin Daji further explained that he did not throw a lavish birthday party, adding that the event was held in his dinning table with only his family present.
“Even the birthday cake was made by the maid. There was no party, it was just family members at the background. There was no outsider there,” he said.
He said that he had never touched the salary of local government staff as he was being accused by people on the social me dia, adding that his role is just like a judge or coordinator as the local government chairmen are in charge of the salaries of local government staff.
The Commissioner added that the 20 per cent slash in the salaries was not his decision but the decision of the local government chairmen and the Union leaders.
“I often wonder why people are crucifying me for the decisions made by the local government chairmen. They took the decision and not me. I was there in the meeting just to coordinate it.”
Speaking further about the birthday gift to his wife, the Commissioner said, “I wonder why people are so uptight about me presenting a phone gift to my wife. It is my wife we are talking about, there is no gift too big to give to her.
“Besides, I have been a two times local government chairman before becoming a Commissioner and was a big time lawyer before that, so buying that type of phone for my wife should not raise eyebrows. I am more than capable to buy it. I am well paid, so I can afford a N400,000 phone to give to my wife.
“My first wife’s birthday is coming up soon and I have decided to give her a bigger gift. People should stop seeing all of us as corrupt, I can afford these things and I can confidently say that I have not mismanaged government’s resources or touched the salaries of local government staff.”
He stated that someone mischievous who wanted to cast a doubt on his integrity had posted the video on the social media knowing that it would draw the ire of the public.
