My Life Is Being Threatened For Speaking Against Diversion of Local Governments Funds In Nigeria -ALGON Secretary General, Mohammed Abubakar

 

His passion for the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) is pushing him to continue to speak up against the alleged activities of some individuals to claim the funds belonging to the 774 local governments in Nigeria.

In this follow-up interview, the Secretary General of ALGON, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar revealed that his life is being threatened by the people he spoke against.

Abubakar also lent his voice to the current campaign on who would be the next president of Nigeria after the end of tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 and he threw his weight behind Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

In continuation of our last interview with you, where we discussed the rot in ALGON, what has changed?

Thank you very much, actually nothing has changed other than the fact that threat to my life has reached an alarming stage.

This is basically coming from Prince Ukachukwu, the man who claimed to have erected boreholes across the 774 local governments in the country. He has been bragging about town that he will soon keep my mouth shut and send me to where I belong. He even whispered to some people that he will carry out this threat and nothing will happen simply because he  claimed to be close to some senators, an uncle to Mr President and many other people in the corridors of power. Sadly too, the security agents and the anti-graft agency seem to be helpless, when matters that concern these people are brought before them.

So, to say the fact, I have not been sleeping with my two eyes closed ever since I granted that interview. If you ask me, I will tell you for free that it is like the evil ones are winning the battle because those who are supposed to be looking into the issues raised and investigate them have decided to look the other way round and I think that is Nigeria for you.

Take note, if you see anybody passing through a serious security check, then such a person has fallen out with the powers that be.

Can you clarify what you mean by evil people winning the battle?

I said so because with the look of things, these guys may soon be smiling to the bank. The likes of Prince Ukachukwu, the borehole man and one Barrister Ted want to benefit from the fund dubiously. The truth is that I am not afraid of death, because no matter how long it will take, it will surely happen some day; either now or in the nearest future. But still, I am challenging Prince Ukachukwu and others to prove that he dug one single borehole in any of the 774 local governments in Nigeria that merited him to receive the huge sums of money he is about to be paid with local government money. Let me also use this opportunity to tell him that I have received his threat messages that he would soon kidnap us.

He should be rest assured that this will never deter us from speaking the truth. He should continue to brag and drop the name of the President's nephew as one of those behind this illegality. Well, we don't have anybody but we have God Almighty. 

But have you reported this to the security agencies? 

Humm security agencies indeed. The security agents in Nigeria are for the rich, they don't care what happens to we the masses. Check it out, no matter how good your case might look like, when you are against the so-called rich men whose only means of becoming so rich is to steal our commonwealth, such case might turn against you. 

But to answer your question, we have reported and even submitted  petitions, yet none of these guys has been invited, its so sad my brother.

And that's why they have the gut to say they will carry out their threat and nothing will happen, but sorry to say, a lot will happen. 

What's the way out?

What we need next in this country is a leader with a strong political will, the sitting president is a good man and he is God fearing, but I think something is missing. It seems he is not getting the right information that will enable him act swiftly. So, in my personal opinion, after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, this country needs someone who can build a very strong institution and instill discipline in us.

We are already having some presidential hopefuls including Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Rabiu Kwawkwaso, just to mention a few, who among them do you think is right for the country?

Like I rightly said, we need someone who can build our institutions. The United States of America solved the Donald Trump brouhaha because they have a very strong institution. If such things that happened in America were to be in Africa or Nigeria, what would happen is better imagined. To me, effectiveness and energy are what we require to bring about the changes we are clamouring for In this country. We have to appeal also to our old brigades to kindly step aside and give room to the younger ones to take charge. The country is too complex, it needs someone with enough energy, not people who must take injection before they can work effectively. 

So, who can you easily point your finger at among the people vying for the presidency of the country? 

You see, whatever I say here is purely my personal opinion, the reason is that I am the Secretary General of ALGON, an association that houses 774 Local Governments, but I am only speaking for myself on this issue.

Now, one man that I have seen in the light of the qualities I mentioned above is the  executive governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello and let it not be a surprise please. Yahaya Bello is a disciplinarian. I have no doubts in my mind that he will not tolerate nonsense nor spare anyone found wanting. Also, he is full of energy and he is in the right age to handle the complexity of Nigeria. The third one is that he is prudent with resources. Like him or hate him he cannot be caged or cowed by any group or cabal. 

So, you are in total support of Governor Yahaya Bello becoming the next president of Nigeria? 

We are not talking about support here, all I have said is my personal opinion on the kind of leadership this country needs. After our amiable President Buhari leaves office, I think we have other governors with good qualities; talk of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai,  Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State amongst others. But I think age also counts and that's where Governor Yahaya Bello stands out. 

Any final word?

I want to appeal once again to our governors and chairmen of local governments to support ALGON IMC leadership ably led by Hon. Abdullahi Maje of Suleja Local Government in Niger State and to join in the fight to save the local government funds from some ungodly consultants and contractors, who usually connive with some unfaithful ALGON officials to defraud the local governments. Lest I forget, another wicked and barbaric act being carried out most recently against ALGON by some officials of the association, led by one Barrister Evans Enekwe, is the mortgaging  of the legacy heritage owned by the local governments, that is the ALGON house in Maitama, Abuja but that's a matter for another day.