By Baron Ike
Immediate past governor of Bauchi state, Mohammed Abubakar has said the N1.2b he spent on burials in the state was for the four years he was in office and not withing months as claimed by some people.
He also said financing burials in the state was a practice he inherited and decided to uphold.
Speaking through his former media aide, Ali M, Ali in a statement on Wednesday, Abubakar said his administration was built on reputation of thrift, and that the government of the day should confront governance rather than diverting attention.
Ali wrote: “It has become imperative to throw more light on the needless controversy concerning the N1.2bn spent on burying the dead in Bauchi state by the former government of MA Abubakar.
“The outrageously fantastic claim of spending N2.3bn between January and May 2019 by the government of the day is precisely what it is -phantom.It is absolute balderdash.No truth whatsoever.
“The N1.2bn the former government spent covered a four year period across the 20 local government areas of the state.It was not for a single local government area and certainly not for a five month period!
“For the record and for the umpteenth time ,financing the burial of the dead was an inherited practice which the government of MA Abubakar upheld.
“It is inconceivable therefore,that a government that did everything by the book will be brazen in its financial dealings.
“The government of Abubakar built a reputation of thrift.The government of the day in Bauchi should squarely face the task ahead and not divert attention with such illusory and delusional allegations.”