As the crack in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Adamawa State continues to widen, the lawmaker representing Adamawa Central Senatorial District, AbdulAziz Nyako, has charged the state governor, Muhammadu Jibrilla, to stop dissipating his energies on “frivolities” and instead focus on delivering his electoral campaign promises.
While fielding questions from journalists in Yola on Saturday, Mr. Nyako stated that instead of charting a new course for the state, the governor has been indulging in “shadow boxing” which has so far proven counterproductive to his administration.
“For me, I would have ordinarily preferred a situation the governor himself concentrates on his work. He has a lot of work to do. He has a very tough state to govern. He should just make up his mind to govern,” he said.
“The governor seems to indulge in shadow boxing. Shadow boxing amounts to someone going into the ring and fighting alone. The unfortunate thing about shadow boxing is that when you are doing it you will keep sweating and at a point in time you would get tired of fighting alone.”
Mr. Nyako, who along with his father and former governor, Murtala Nyako, is being prosecuted for mismanaging Adamawa funds during the tenure of the father, also spoke on his alleged gubernatorial ambition.
“2019 is something that is too far away to comment because we may just end up in controversy over an issue that we have no control over,” he said. “My philosophy is very simple, 2019 to me is very far. I don’t even know whether I will live till sunset. I prefer concentrating on my job as a senator.”
“I do have a lot of work at the Senate. I have a committee that is involved with a lot of organizations and I will advise anyone who is voted by the people to work and forget 2019. Whatever Allah wills, that is what would happen.”
The reaction of Senator Nyako appears a response to an earlier statement by Governor Jibrilla accusing elites in the state of trying to pull down his government over his failure to extend patronage to them.
Mr. Jibrilla, a former ally of the elder Nyako, has since dumped the former governor and pledged loyalty to another APC leader in the state, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar. As part of his reasons, he said Mr. Abubakar gave him N500 million which he used to campaign for last year’s elections.
