Former Zamfara officials accuse Dauda Lawal of 'extra-budgetary spending', call for impeachment

Former Zamfara officials accuse Dauda Lawal of ‘extra-budgetary spending’, call for impeachment

October 26

18:09 2023

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Some former commissioners in Zamfara have asked the state house of assembly to impeach Dauda Lawal, incumbent governor, over allegations of corruption.

The ex-commissioners added that Lawal had planted an allegation of a diversion of N70 billion against Bello Matawalle, the immediate former governor of Zamfara, in a bid to conceal his own misconduct.

In May, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) probed Matawalle over the alleged diversion of funds through the ex-governor’s proxies and contractors who received payment for contracts that were not executed.

Speaking on Thursday, the former cabinet members said the accusations were false and were triggered by mischief and a campaign of calumny by the present administration in Zamfara.

They accused the incumbent governor of extra-budgetary spending without the approval of the state assembly.

The officials were led by Rabiu Garba, former commissioner of finance and economic planning, and Ibrahim Dosara, ex-commissioner of information.

They called for Lawal’s impeachment and asked the state assembly to look into the governor’s “poor administration”.

“We are calling on the state house of assembly to impeach the governor for spending outside the budget of the state,” Garba said.

“He awarded contract that is not in the budget. A budget primarily is a source document where works and services of government are going to be rendered. A budget is an act of the state assembly which the governor violated.

“He awarded the contract that was not in the budget. There was no evidence that the contract awarded was budgeted for because I have a copy of the budget.

“There was no virement to support the contracts that were awarded. There was no evidence that the virement had been received by the State House of Assembly and even, if there is, the state assembly had not attended to that issue, therefore, he was engaged in extra-budgetary spending, which is an impeachable offence and we call on them to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor.”

On his part, Dosara said the EFCC had suspended investigations against Matawalle after finding out that the former governor was exonerated.

“We left the state better than it is today. The state is exposed to bandits and as things are now, the state capital, Guasau, is not spared,” the former commissioner added.

“Since May 29 when this government came into power, unnecessary IDP camps have been created.

“The primary responsibility of protecting lives and property has not been attended to. He should face governance and face allegations that cannot be substantiated.”

According to Garba, the allegations of missing funds are Lawal’s desperate attempts to nail Matawalle.