Despite assurances given by the Niger state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu that his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), that he will not be denied his rights and privileges, the deputy governor Saturday cried out that his personal aide has been withdrawn.
According to Ibeto, government had started to order the withdrawal of his personal aides who are civil servants.
“Though, I have not been denied anything neither have I been stopped from entering my office, my personal aide, a civil servant was withdrawn and I graciously released the officer”.
Ibeto who was reacting to his being denied the capacity to serve as acting governor when Aliyu left the country for Lesser Hajj, said he did not travel anywhere contrary to the explanation that his absence in the state informed the appointment of the Speaker of the House of Assembly as the Acting Governor of the state.
Speaking to newsmen in his Tunga residence in Minna, the state capital, he said, “I want to say with all emphasis that I never traveled. I have been in Minna and I was in Minna the day the governor traveled”.
According to a statement issued by the governor through his Chief Press Secretary, Israel Ebije, the decision to make the Speaker acting governor was on account of Ibeto’s absence. The statement further said that the deputy governor had travelled for lesser Haj since Monday.
Ibeto who described the appointment of the Speaker unconstitutional said he has never traveled out of the town or out of the country without the permission of the governor expressing surprise at the position of the governor.
