Ex-Bauchi gov debunks claims of spending N2.3bn on funerals, says he spent N1.2bn instead

Former governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, has come out to note that he only spent N1.2 billion on funeral materials and not N2.3 billion as widely reported.

According to the embattled former governor, he inherited the practice of buying funeral materials from his predecessors due to the impact it had on the people of the state.

Speaking through Mukhtar Jibril, his media aide in a statement issued on Wednesday, the former governor said the purchases passed through “due process” and awarded to qualified contractors.

He said: “In response to media reports on the issue of mahogany and shrouds procured for burials, we want to state that this is a practice inherited by the government of Abubakar from its predecessors. Considering its significance and impact on the people, especially the bereaved, it decided to continue with it.

Read also: ALLEGED N2.3bn FOR BURIAL: ‘Expensive dead people indeed’, Moghalu mocks ex-Bauchi Gov

“However, the project, like any other of the same magnitude, was awarded to qualified contractors. Based on the available verifiable record, N1,270,743,520 had been expended since its inception and not the exaggerated figure of N2.3 billion mischievously posted on the social media by critics. We urge the good people of the state to disregard this insinuation as an act of desperation by elements of retrogression.

“Besides, every contract awarded was subjected to the scrutiny and appraisal of the due process agency in accordance with public procurement law, contract agreement, payment of tax due on such contracts and other requirements
Mohammed Abubakar’s defense comes after the presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, Kingsley Moghalu mocked him for the amount spent on burials in the state.

Reacting to the claim on his Twitter page, the presidential candidate of the Young People’s Party (YPP) Kingsley Moghalu, described the dead people as expensive, and lamented that some politicians steal public funds using the name of the dead.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now