#TrackNigeria – Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima on Wednesday threatened to expose any politician in the state who makes ‘the slightest attempt’ of bringing to him, gossips against the incoming Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum before and after May 29. The Governor said not only will he chase gossips, he will expose them to the incoming Governor.
Shettima sounded the warning at the swearing-in of caretaker chairmen for the 27 local government areas of Borno State which held at the Government House, Maiduguri.
”I will like to sound a strong warning to all of us gathered here. My tenure of office, ends in just 21 days. Let no caretaker chairman or anyone for that matter, expect that proximity to me will be license to go overboard before and after May 29. I will not support anyone against my successor. I will not allow anyone undermine the authority of Professor Babagana Umara Zulum and Usman Kadafur. Insha’Allah, I shall always be on the side of my successor. Perhaps, I should use this forum to announce that the worst act anybody will exhibit is to make the slightest attempt of criticizing Professor Zulum within fifty meters around me. I will not tolerate anyone (no matter who that person might be) that attempts to come before me and say anything bad about the Governor-elect and his Deputy. Discussing them negatively will be a no-go- area. If anyone attempts it, I will not only send that person away but I will make sure I inform the Governor. I believe this step is the surest way to bar mischief makers from coming to destabilize our peace, our unity and continuity of progress” Shettima said.
The Governor also told the new chairmen whose appointment is for six months tenure to prepare their minds for a new chief executive within the next one month.
“I will like to remind caretaker chairmen that while you have just been administered oath of office, the most part of your tenure will be served under my successor. This will require each and everyone of you to prepare your minds in reporting to a new chief executive and in bracing up for the challenges that will come with his vision, focus, mindset, goals and aspiration. I am absolutely sure that my successor, Professor Zulum is more than capable of making sure caretaker chairmen do far more. The incoming Governor is tougher than I am and whoever underestimates him may do so at his own peril” the Governor said.
Shettima, while reminding everyone that he was presiding over swearing-in of caretaker chairmen for the last time as Governor of Borno State, urged the chairmen to justify the confidence reposed in them.
“You are expected to live up to your responsibilities and to justify the
confidence reposed in you. For those reappointed, I believe you earned
it. For those freshly appointed, consider this as a test phase. In both
categories, I urge all of you to prove to us that we took the right decisions
in appointing each of you. Governance is a collective responsibility and we
must strive hard to work as a team so that our projects and programmes of all
developmental needs are achieved without delays. I also urge all Chairmen to
work in consultation with all stakeholders in the affairs of their communities
and to ensure prudence in managing scarce resources. I will urge us to sustain
passion for development both in the coming days to May 29 and in the aftermath
of my tenure” Shettima said.
