From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The erstwhile Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman described his appearance on Monday before the Sokoto State Commission of Enquiry into activities of former governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as political vendetta and intimidating.
Suleiman was minister during the defunct Good Luck Abele Jonathan was also the Director General PDP Campaign for Atiku/Ubandoma for president and governor in Sokoto State during the 2023 elections.
It could be recalled that the Ahmed Aliyu-led administration inaugurated the Commission of Inquiry to investigate donations, sales and auctioning during the eight years of the former PDP-led Tambuwal administration.
Presiding over the commission proceedings on Monday, the Chairman of the commission, Justice Mu’azu Pindiga said the former minister was invited as a witness to the panel to testify on the panel memo 077.
Suleiman was cross-examined by the PDP and the commission counsels, Barrister Nuhu Adamu and Barrister Amanzi Amanzi respectively.
The witness told the commission that he did not receive any vehicle or properties from the former Tambuwal administration and previous state governments because he did not hold any government position.
The witness who briefed newsmen alongside panel proceedings described his sermon as disheartening, indeed very sad that my state which should be at the forefront in the vanguard of protecting my integrity is the one trying to mail me at this stage.
“As I said earlier, I have served this country at the highest level especially at the executive council of the federation as I ran one of the biggest ministries in this country and that is the ministry of Transportation, I have not been found wanting in any way”,
He said the decision of the panel touched his imagination that he could be a sermon to appear on the flimsy and hearsay statements.
The panel acted on a rumour that someone saw me driving a Prado Suv that looks like a government vehicle and sermons me because of that, I think is very sad and the action read as how much we have degenerated as a people.
My message to the commission is that they are honourable people who have distinguished themselves in their various careers, they should do their assignment honourably and they should know that not just the people of the state but God is watching over them and whatever they do they will account for it.
For the Sokoto State Government, I have nothing for them to say except that they should continue with what they are doing, they are showing the way and 2027 is approaching we will flush them out and revisit what they have done.
“Well for me to be invited is political vendetta, otherwise I did not work for Sokoto State Government, and I did not hold any government position in the previous administrations.
I did not serve in the defunct Attahiru Bafarawa administration, nor work in Aliyu’s Magatakarda Wamakko administration and recently I did not serve in Aminu Waziri Tambuwal regime so why am I invited to the commission, except on political victimisation.
“I did not work for the Sokoto State Government and everybody knows that I don’t need a Prado Suv. Let them do it and Allah is watching them, we leave everything to Him and we continue to pray to Him till he answers our prayers and flushes them out of the state,”
