Zamfara commissioner resigns over gov’s alleged ‘high-handedness’

Zamfara State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Jamilu Zannah, has resigned barely two weeks after the inauguration of the state executive council.

Zannah hinged his resignation to “high-handedness” and lack of consultation on the part of Governor Bello Matawalle.

The government has however dismissed the claims, saying Zannah’s action was unfortunate, selfish and a ploy for cheap publicity.

The former Commissioner, who also served as Matawalle’s campaign director during the 2019 governorship election in the state, made the announcement on Saturday while speaking to journalists at his Gusau residence.

He said: “His excellency, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, has been doing things and running this government single handedly since he assumed office as governor.

“As his campaign director general, I know we made several promises to many people that when we succeed, these promises will be met.

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“However, of all the appointments so far made which include many directors general, senior special assistants, special assistants, special advisers, permanent secretaries, commissioners and members of boards and committees, I am not aware of any that the governor consulted us on.”

Zannah, who just returned from a medical trip in India said, “even though the governor was aware of my sickness and my medical trip where l stayed for about 40 days, which was why l missed the executive council inauguration, he never called to sympathize with me up to the time l returned.

“Since l did not join this Matawalle movement for my personal gains but for the benefits of the people and in order to move the state forward, l have decided to reject this appointment as commissioner of education in the state with immediate effect, and this followed my discussions with my associates.

“I do not know how l can face all those people we made promises to when they see me going round as commissioner while the promises made to them remained unfulfilled.”

Matawalle, who is currently on a foreign trip, however, said through his Special Adviser on Media, Zailani Bappa, “it is rather unfortunate that someone who claims closeness to His Excellency will resort to this unwholesome antic which is clearly a ploy to achieve a cheap and personal political goal.”

He dismissed the reasons for the resignation as paltry, shallow and a political joke.

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