The Chairman of Ijumu local government area, Taufiq Isah has said that the properties he sold were moribund and obsolete.
The chairman was alleged to have sold over 20 properties belonging to his local government.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Executive Chairman, Othman Hamidu, while reacting to the allegation on Tuesday said the auctioneer is a known one and a professional, who followed the best practices of auctioning government obsolete properties.
His words, “It is a known fact that assets that have become moribund over the years and impact on the local government lean resources can be auctioned out at a specified amount determined by auctioneers and money gotten remitted to the Local Government’s account.
“If not for an act of cowardice with an attempt to cause misinformation and disinformation to the good loving people of Ijumu Kingdom who stood firm by the administration of Council Chairman over the years, allegations of such on social media don’t bring out the best results, but it is rather advisable to report to the law enforcement agency for proper investigation with all evidence and proof of the said vehicles allegedly acquired by as stipulation in the malicious publication.
“It is a known fact across the Local Government that upon assumption of office in 2016, the Chairman declared an emergency on rural roads opening them up every dry season to allow most of his people access to their farm outputs.
“The Executive Chairman has made a lot of sacrifices in terms of security, infrastructures and basic health facilities in his seven productive years as the Chief Executive Officer of the Local Government which earned him many national awards.”
According to him, the report was meant to malign, insult, blackmail, and cause confusion and crises of confidence between the Chairman, Governor Yahaya Bello, the relevant stakeholders who have been ardent supporters of the Executive Chairman and the general public.
“It is laughable and unrealistic to accuse the Local Council Chairman of selling the items to himself through his political allies.
It is rather unfortunate that before the governorship election, an allegation was made against the Council Chairman that he has collected a certain amount of money from opposition parties and won’t work for his party, the All Progressives Congress but the result of the said election at his polling unit and ward silenced them. Hence, the new allegation of auctioning over twenty vehicles.
