Nyako’s Commissioner Stuns Adamawa Lawmakers

By Garba Mohammad
There was a twist in the tale at the Adamawa State House of Assembly where lawmakers have been drilling Governor Murtala Nyako’s Commissioners since Monday.The tables turned against the lawmakers as it was revealed that some members of Adamawa House of Assembly were among defaulters yet to pay for shops in the Yola central market allocated to them five years ago by the state Government .
The state Commissioner for Commerce, Alhaji Ahmed Gorko, made this stunning disclosure while testifying before the House Plenary on activities of the market.
Gorko said the market known as “Jimeta Modern Market” has 3, 894 shops out of which 2,060 were allocated to the 21 Local Government areas of the state while 1000 was allocated to traders and the remaining were given as “special allocation” to civil servant, political appointees and lawmakers.
Gorko explained that members of the state Assembly were given 128 shops out of the special allocation.
The commissioner said that while the 21 local Governments had paid for the 2,060 shops allocated to them upfront, most of the traders and those who benefitted from the special allocation including the lawmakers were yet to pay for their allocations.
He said the shops cost between one million and N800, 000 depending on the type.
Gorko said all effort by the ministry including setting up a committee to recover the outstanding payment from beneficiaries that defaulted was being met by resistance.
He said the ministry was contemplating taking drastic measures such as revoking the allocation if not for the State of Emergency imposed on the state.
Commenting after the commissioner’s address, a lawmaker, Mr Jibrin Yelwa (PDP-Ganye) asked for the lists of lawmakers that benefitted and those who defaulted in paying, a request the Commissioner sought for permission from the house Speaker to compile and submit in a later date.
The Speaker Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, while granting the request however admitted that he was among those that benefitted and had so far made half payment.
Sources had said the lawmakers have been hatching a plot to impeach Nyako.When this drilling of commissioners started dramatically on Monday ,there were fear that the groundwork for the political move against the governor was being prepared .But this turning of the tables against the lawmakers may be an indication that those seeking equity are not coming with clean hands.Or so it seems.