YOUR PRE – EMPTIVE PROJECTS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL – SOKOTO PDP

…such is a breach of due process and constitutional demands

The attention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Sokoto State has been drawn to the recent release by Your Excellency’s Press Secretary, Abubakar Bawa, which was aired on local media and new media platforms, in which it was announced that your administration has started a number of capital projects in the State Capital.

according to the federal republic of Nigeria you as a Governor of a state have no any legitimate right to start any projects without members of the executives in place managing the affairs of various ministries

The three projects, that  were listed in the release, include:-

1. Abarshi Road: 287 Meters at Rijiyar Dorowa

2. Hospital Road: 220 Meters

3. Isa Road at Gawon Nama Area

We are aware that work has already commenced at the sites of these projects.

We wish to however, draw the attention of the Governor that these projects are against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the following reasons

1. Capital projects can only be executed after the resolution of the State Executive Council, which the current Administration has not yet constituted.

2. Such projects are also subject to the approval of the State House of Assembly, which as at now are not included in the 2023 Appropriation Law signed by the immediate past Governor Amiu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR. Neither was the supplementary budget carried out by the present administration under Your leadership.

3. The contractor(s) carrying out the projects have not been made public for the knowledge of all.

4. The costs of the projects have not been made to the public, as required by the law, neither has due process established at the Public Procurement and State Tenders Board entities (as such body is also not put in place) before the commencement of the projects.

 Your Excellency, “the Public Procurement law in the State provides carrying out emergency procurements of goods and services in the event of utmost necessities, but the current projects has not fallen under such categories”.

In furtherance to the above therefore, such efforts are at variance and breach of due process and constitutional demands on the execution of government projects and appropriation of public funds.

With due respect, “Your Excellency, you should understand that your function as State Governor, as any other function in our democratic order, is to discharged under the strict guidance of rules that are enshrined in the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria”.

 “But such actions of the recent projects you have started and other concurrent decisions of your government have clearly indicated that there is deliberate neglect of the rule of law and due process in the  running of state affairs”, Muhammad Bello Goronyo added.

“The PDP, as a major stakeholder in the democratic system, is constrained to caution you on this and other direct negations of the laws, as we cannot stand aside, as the rules and tenets of our cherished democratic principles are abused by those sworn to uphold them”, PDP added.