Ex-governor Shema On N42bn Debt He Left Behind

Ibramhim Shema

Former governor of Katsina state, Ibrahim Shema has denied allegations that his administration left a N42 billion debt including pension and gratuities of state and local government staff for his successor, Aminu Bello Masari.

Reacting in a statement signed by his media aide, Oluwabusola Olawale, Shema slammed the allegations which were first aired by the All Progressive Congress.

The governor called the allegation “is nothing but falsehood and deceit.”

The statement reads: “It was a claim made without justification because certainly no N13 billion was missing from the account of Katsina State government.”  Shema also claimed being in the dark the missing “N6. 2 billion of local government gratuities as alleged”.

The former governor claimed he paid N17 billion to pensioners within the eight years of his administration and and asking the present administration to make public the N7.2 billion transferred to ALGON account.

Shema said it was impossible that N7. 1 billion was unaccounted for in Sure- P account as Sure- P funds in Katsina State under his government was always accounted for.

Shema is just one of numerous governors being accused by their successors of mishandling state finances.

In Rivers state, Governor Wike has numerously accused his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi is looting the state treasury and government house of physical properties.

Another Governor who has complained is Malam Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state who claimed that his predeccessor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, squandered N10 billion on the Kaduna new Government House complex.