Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State on Friday said that those resigning from office under his administration don’t want to embrace change.
He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He also said that there was nothing wrong between him and his deputy that resigned from office.
He said “What transpired is in the letter of the deputy and I think people should read that letter. Read the entire letter and you will see that there was nothing bad that transpired between us.
“His final paragraph is that he remains loyal to his leader and his brother. In my response I eulogized him and wished him the best in his future endeavour and assured him of the support of the good people of Bauchi State. There was no problem whatsoever.”
On why it was easy for him to accept his resignation, he said “The word resignation connotes a will on the part of the person who has offered, he offered his letter willingly and there is no way you can force him to accept an employment when the time has come for him to look elsewhere.
Speaking on the working relationship between them, he said “We had the most fantastic working relationship. In his words and you can ask him, he has said several times that he is the most pampered deputy governor in Nigeria.
On why other officials are leaving his government, he said “Because I have come to Bauchi state to endanger change and change is very very difficult for people to accept.
“People are used to a certain way of doing business and I have come to change that way of doing business. Because, that way was destroying Bauchi State. So, we had to put a stop to it, we had to bring Bauchi state out of dungeon. I give people a chance and if you think you can go at my pace you stay and if you can’t go at my pace you resign.”
When asked if his deputy resigned because he couldn’t go at his pace, he said “I don’t know.”
Reminded that the spokesman to the deputy governor said on television that he resigned because he was not being treated as part of the government, Bauchi Governor said “I see. I think he is wrong. Go to the House of Assembly and check, I went on official leave twice since I took over and each time I transmitted a letter to the House of Assembly making him the acting governor of Bauchi.
“Moreover, I gave him the most important ministry, ministry of education where I have been allocating the largest share of the budget of Bauchi state since 2008. That should answer your question.” he said
