By Beauty John, LAFIA
The Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi says the House will appeal the judgement, nullifying the indictment of the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed Tijjani over alleged N248.5m unaccounted funds for school projects in the state.
Balarabe Abdullahi made this known on Saturday while addressing journalists in Lafia.
According him, the House has confidence in the Court of Appeal and would get the right judgement accordingly.
” I have directed our counsels to study the judgement and we will appeal the judgement, and I assure you we will get good judgment at the higher level. This is just a court of first instance, so we will go to the higher ladder” he said.
On June 2, 2020, the state House of Assembly ad-hoc committee investigating the release of N1 billion to the ministry of education for the renovation/fencing of public secondary schools in the state in 2018, had indicted the former SSG.
Following the indictment, the assembly asked Ahmed-Tijani to refund over N248.5 million as unaccounted funds to the state government coffers
The speaker visibly displeased with the ruling, said he could not place his hand on why Tijjani chose to leave all the courts in Lafia where he resides and go all the way to Akwanga local government area to file a lawsuit, until the judgement yesterday.
“This is because we asked series of questions that the former SSG works and resides in Lafia and we have many courts in Lafia and what informed his decision to take the matter to the High Court, Akwanga.
“So we could not get a definite answer but with the outcome of the judgement yesterday, our question is best answered.
“It beats one imagination to notice that the former SSG even have prior notice of what the outcome will look like as he went with his supporters to celebrate the judgment before the court’s decision, think about it,it is clear” the Speaker added.
Disputing the claim that Tijjani did not get a fair hearing, Balarabe said that Tijjani had every opportunity to defend himself before the committee.
“Some of you journalists were present when we invited the former SSG to the plenary over the issue, he promised that he will take all responsibility of his actions”.
” And from that, I have also set up a committee to investigate the matter in which they have invited him and he has also promised again that he will take responsibility of any infraction,” he added.
“But we were surprised by the judgement that we have not given the former SSG fair hearing on the matter,” he said.
When asked if he is aware that the corruption allegation against the former SSG is before the EFCC, he said ” I cannot speak for the EFCC.
“We have already uncovered corruption allegation against the former SSG, so, EFCC is an independent government agency doing its job at its level which I will not comment on that ” he said.
Balarabe called on the public to remain calm and be law abiding over the issue, promising that the House will ensure that there is no place for corruption in the state.
PROMPT NEWS recalls that on Aug.7, 2020, Justice Mustapha Ramat of a High Court Akwanga, delivered a ruling that voided the indictment of former SSG, Alhaji Aliyu Tijjani over alleged N284.5 million fraud by the state House of Assembly with reference to lack of Fair hearing.
The House had indicted the SSG over alleged N284.5 million school projects’ funds when he was a Commissioner for Education in the state.
Ahmed-Tijani challenged the decision of the House over its recommendation that led to his sack by Gov. Abdullahi Sule.
