By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Newly inaugurated Governor of Zamfara State, North West Nigeria, Dauda Lawal has denied reports which suggested that he has declared assets worth Nine Trillion Naira ($19.5bn).
A former bank executive, Lawal was inaugurated on Monday, May 29, to succeed Bello Matawalle his was his man challenger in the March 18 governorship election in the state.
The story is a fabricated lie designed to distract the new government from its Rescue Zamfara path, the governor said through his spokesperson Sulaiman Idris in a statement on Friday in Gusau, the state capital, adding that it is a continuation of the lies perpetrated by those who lost the election.
The governor said the new government has started work and is focused on ensuring it brings the needed sanity to governance in the state to deliver on its mandate.
The statement read in parts: “Our attention has been drawn to a mischievous story planted and pushed in the social media claiming that the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has declared assets worth Nine Trillion Naira. The government is constrained to issue this statement as it is said that lies often repeated (and left unchallenged) take on the face of the truth.
“This ridiculous and fabricated lie was created and pushed in social media is untrue by mischief makers bent on distracting the new government.
“The Provisions on the declaration of assets are entrenched in the Code of Conduct for public officers, which are contained in Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended must comply with by all Public Servants and it remains confidential in the Custody of the code of Conduct Bureau.
“All Public officers from the President, Vice president, Governors, all elected officials and all public servants must complete and submit the assets declaration form as required by the law. Dauda Lawal has complied with the requirement of the constitution and the contents are held in confidence with the Bureau, a highly respected and professional agency.
“We will not be carried away by such fabricated social media stunts, for our government is determined and focused on its resolve to address the security, Education, portable water, Health, Agricultural and other Socio-Economic challenges bedevilling the State. We are also working round the clock to ensure we deliver on the responsibilities and duties that the Governor has sworn an oath to.”
While assuring that his government is putting in the work and has a lot of groundwork to do in its quest to rescue and rebuild a better Zamfara and remain focused on delivering on its mandate, he urged the general public to please disregard the rumour he said is being deliberately published to distract and discredit his new administration.
Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated the then sitting governor Matawalle of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), causing an upset in the state traditionally a stronghold of APC.
