Former Zamfara State Governor Abdul Aziz Yari Abubakar has debunked allegations of leaving behind N252 billion debts to Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle.
Yari said he left over N7 billion for the take-off of the Matawalle’s administration.
The former governor, who spoke through his media aide, Malam Ibrahim Dosara, at the APC secretariat in Gusau, added that paid a debt of over N45 billion left behind by the administration before him.
Yari was reacting to the allegation by the Chairman of PDP Transition Committee, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, that he left behind over N252 billion.
The allegation, the former governor said, could not be swept under the carpet.
He stressed that the Zamfara people enjoyed dividends of democracy under him with the inauguration of projects by President Muhammad Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and many more prominent dignitaries.
Yari stressed that the allegations were baseless and an effort to smear his image.
He said that it was astonishing to note that Wakkala who was his deputy and Chairman, Zamfara Stare Tender Board could not differentiate between ongoing projects, awarded projects and what should be addressed as liabilities and debts.
His media aide said: “No bank loan was left or obtained by the Ministry of Finance under Governor Abdul Aziz Yari and left behind as debt to the present administration.”
On education, he said: “There were debts inherited by Yari from the administration before him and his administration on inception met with the various examination bodies, which Wakkala claimed Yari’s administration owed. Yari negotiated with the bodies to pay the debt by instalments.”
The former governor explained that his government paid the examination and tuition fees of Zamfara State students.
