Adamawa People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Alh. Umar Bello Jada aka Calculate has taken a volte face over an earlier statement he made advising governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to embark on massive stomach infrastructure and consultations with the people.
It may be recalled that Calculate has a fortnight ago advised governor Fintiri to halt awards of new contracts and re-channel his energy in empowering the good people of Adamawa especially those of PDP stock in the wake of the re-emergence of APC into the 2023 gubernatorial contest.
The politician has called on the governor to invest more in the people so as to counter the influence of the APC gubernatorial candidate Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani who has established a reputation of empowerment in the state in order to checkmate her rising popularity with the masses.
But a special assistant to the governor on mobilization, Saidu Sarkin Zana has in a terse riposte, said, the counsel of Calculate was needless as the governor has been running a mosaic of empowerment packages never seen in the contemporary annals of the state since he assumed the reins of power.
Sarkin Zana had opined that since the administration of Barde, no government established a well structured, practical and all encompassing stomach infrastructure like the Fintiri led government.
According to Sarkin Zana, the governor has allowed the Local Government councils to enjoy financial autonomy and also allowed the people at the grass root to conduct election twice. He said such development represents a better way of meeting the socio-economic yearnings of the people
”On the stomach infrastructure, I want the whole world to know that all the projects done in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) were contracted out to party men and women, politicians of all classes, all stakeholders in the state. Even the state chapter of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim council were all direct beneficiaries. Then tell me what can be more stomach infrastructure than this?
“Is there any stomach infrastructure more than the school feeding program that pupils eat three square meals a day? Under the free education program, he introduced?” Zana queried.
Zana added that on the strength of the multi-dimesional empowerment the Fintiri led government has given to Adamawa people, the state government has adquately taken care of the People’s empowerment needs.
“Governor Fintiri has put all the 226 Ward excos of PDP on the government’s payroll as they are collecting N10,000 monthly handouts. Local Government Excos of the party are getting N30,000 as allowances which has never been done before,” Zana added.
Reacting to Zana’s submission, Calculate said he deemed it fit to withdraw his earlier advice because he could not challenge Zana’s position on account of being privy to the activities of the government.
In a statement he made available to this medium, Tuesday, Calculate said, “I have withdrawn the earlier advise I gave to our leader Governor Fintiri on the need for us to halt physical infrastructure projects for now in favor of empowerment to our PDP supporters and also creat time to engage with stakeholders to feel free in coming forward with useful information and advice that may be useful for Excellency to act where necessary so that our soldiers will be properly mobilize to comfortably engage opposition for our smooth sail in 2023.
“But i’m now guided by facts that Saidu Sarkin Zana has brought forward confirming this aspect has already been taken care of. So no need for us to waste our time/energy on repeating things already done, considering the fact that Saidu is more closer to Gov. Fintiri and has more access to Government information coupled with the fact that he serves as SA Mobilisation.
“He may know better than us that are outsiders, so I accepted the reality of those facts he advanced hence my humble withdrawal of the advice I gave to his excellency on that regards. Let’s move on with our campaign as already planned may God crown us with success Ameen.”
