A former Adamawa State Commissioner for Information Ahmad Sajoh has said that northern governors should stop embarrassing the people from the area.
He was speaking in response to opinions shared by the governor of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed.
In his own words, Dr Sajoh said: “Our governors are neither fair nor just to us here in northern Nigeria. They seek to turn us into beggars, despite the fact that our region is the richest in the country.
“Allah has blessed our region with abundant resources, yet our governors rely solely on federal allocations. We passed a time in this country when northern states used to supply the federal government, not receive from it. Yet now, they lament like beggars, claiming we can not survive in the North without federal allocations.”
Sajo also said: “The governors are responsible for the hardships we face. They have destroyed our education sector to the point where we have more out-of-school children than any other region in the country.
“The governors have also undermined our agricultural sector. They should have invested more in this area, but instead, they continue to blame the federal government for their poor service to the people.
“They often hide behind insecurity to divert people’s resources and shift the blame to the federal government.
“Our governors should understand that the economic policies our president is striving to improve aim to elevate the lives of our people to their highest potential.
“The tax bill should not be feared; rather, we should see it as an opportunity to boost the northern economy.
“May God bless Audu Bako. During his tenure as the governor of Kano State, he improved the state without blaming the federal government for any misfortunes or problems.
“Why do we allow the northeast to remain in such a dilemma? Are the governors waiting for the president or presidential allocations?
“Our governors need to come to their senses. They are making our southern brothers view us as beggars, leading them to believe we are dependent on them, which is a blatant lie. We have all the resources to feed the nation if only our governors would rise to the challenge.”
Editor’s note:
Adapted from an interview conducted in Hausa, but translated to English