Former Kano Governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, has stated that he never touched local government funds or received kickbacks from contractors during his tenure.
Shekarau made this statement at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, held ahead of the 70th anniversary celebration of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN).
Shekarau, who chairs the organizing committee of the 70th anniversary, attributed his commitment to transparency and accountability to his early involvement with the MSSN, where he developed his sense of personal integrity and accountability through participation in the organization’s activities as early as the age of 19.
He said, “I have never taken any negotiating percentages with any contractor. I always challenge them—if any contractor who has worked with me in the last 44 years knows that I have asked him for a percentage or brought any money, let him come out and say so.
“Secondly, none of my commissioners have ever brought one naira to me in the name of feedback from a contractor. No local government chairman, during my eight years as Governor, has ever given me one naira. I have never tampered with their allocations.
“All we did through the National Assembly was create guidelines, rules, and regulations governing their operations, and we allowed them to do their jobs with their councillors.
“You would find a chairman executing projects of 100 or 200 million naira, guided by the state government. For example, if a local government wanted to construct a 100-million-naira road project, and they didn’t have all the engineering resources to do it, we would bring them to the state, ask our engineers to handle the details, work everything out, and then give it back to them, telling them to go to their council and award the contract wherever is fitting. These things are doable.
“Up until the end of my second term in 2007, I had no house of my own. I remember an elder statesman, who was my former teacher, coming to me two months before the election, saying, ‘Governor, I want to delve into your personal affairs.’ I said, ‘You are free to do so.’ He asked, ‘Suppose you lose, which house will you go to?’ I said I would go back to a rented house. I left a rented house to move into the government house.
“All these monies that people think you need to be a billionaire to win elections—as of the time I contested the election, I did not have up to 100,000 naira in my account.
“People saw what we did and saw what we contributed. I was literally dragged in to participate. I voluntarily had to retire from public service in the year 2001, and by 2002 I joined ANPP. My governor, then sitting governor, Kwankwaso, was laughing and described me as a frustrated teacher, but we beat him. I was the first person to defeat a sitting governor in that state. All these were because of the moral values I imbibed through my participation in MSSN activities, particularly the Islamic Vacation Course as an undergraduate at the age of 19.”
Shekarau highlighted the MSSN’s history and growth, tracing its development from the ‘Decade of Crusade’ to the current ‘Decade of Celebrating Successes and Achievements.’
He disclosed that the MSSN, established in 1954, has undergone seven decades of development, and its 70th anniversary celebration slated for October 12, 2024 will feature various activities, including seminars, conferences, and retreats, aimed at promoting unity, brotherhood, and entrepreneurship among members.
