Political Crisis: Niger State Deputy Governor Threatens Resignation

The deputy governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, has hinted resignation from his position as the deputy governor “any moment from now”. Source confirmed. It was learned that in preparations for the resignation, the embattled deputy governor had begun packing out some of his belongings from the official residence over the weekend.

Multiple Source closed to the Niger state government confirmed to Daily Nigeria that they witnessed suspicious movement of the deputy governor’s property from the official residence between Saturday and Sunday.

According to the source, “As I speak to you, he has substantially moved out his belongings from the official residence to his private residence. He will resign any moment from now”.

It was gathered that some traditional rulers in the state had visited him on Sunday night in order to persuade him to shelve the idea to avoid heating the polity.

It is, however, unclear whether Mr Garba had changed his mind after the monarchs intervention or not’.

It was learned that the relationship between the deputy governor and his principal, Governor Umaru Bago has not been cordial.
A source said Mr Garba had endured a lot of disrespect and hostility from the governor and his close aides.

It was gathered that Mr Garba was never consulted on many issues of the administration despite coming to power on the same ticket with the governor.

The source said the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the replacement of Mr Garba’s preferred candidate in the forthcoming local government election in the state.

Vigil360 gathered that Mr Garba and some stakeholders of the APC in his local government, Shiroro, had settled for a candidate, Babangida Kudodo on a consensus decision, but when the list of candidates was released by the party headquarters, another candidate, Isyaku Bawa, emerged as the ticket holder, the decision that provoked the Deputy.

It was also revealed that the governor’s hegemony on many consensus candidates, whom were also replaced by the party leadership, has provoked many amongst the party stakeholders.

“Nobody consulted him on anything. He does not have control over any part of the government. The deputy is treated with disrespect despite his huge contributions to the success of the party and loyalty to his principal.

“Even his monthly allowances and overhead have been ridiculously slashed,” said the source.

Although the deputy governor is yet to make his resignation public because his press secretary, Ummikhultume Abdullahi, said she wasn’t aware of her principal’s plan to quit.

However, Abdullahi claimed her principal has not relocated from his official residence, adding that she just had a meeting with him at his official residence.