Immediate-past Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar has said that he only spent N1.2billion to procure funeral materials in six months, contrary to his successor’s claim that N2.3billion was expended for the purpose.
The incumbent Governor, Bala Mohammed, made the accusation in a statement through his spokesman, Ladan Salihu, saying that his predecessor expended the money between January and May 2019.
However, Abubakar denied his successor’s accusation, disclosing that only N1.2 billion was spent.
He added that he inherited the practice of procuring funeral materials from his predecessors and decided to toe the line as it was well accepted by the people.
Abubakar further said that the contracts for the purchase of the funeral materials followed due process.
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Speaking through his media aide, Mukhtar Jibril, the ex-governor said, “In response to media reports on the issue of mahogany and shrouds procured for burials, we want to state that this is a practice inherited by the government of Abubakar from its predecessors. Considering its significance and impact on the people, especially the bereaved, it decided to continue with it.
“However, the project, like any other of the same magnitude, was awarded to qualified contractors. Based on the available verifiable record, N1,270,743,520 had been expended since its inception and not the exaggerated figure of N2.3 billion mischievously posted on the social media by critics.
“We urge the good people of the state to disregard this insinuation and act of desperation by elements of retrogression.
”Besides, every contract awarded was subjected to the scrutiny and appraisal of the due process agency in accordance with public procurement law, contract agreement, payment of tax due on such contracts and other requirements.”
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