From Umar Dankano, Yola.
A political squabble is raising it’s ugly head in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa state as councilor representing Ngebongun ward, Gloria Istisfanus accused the chairman of the council Hon Vrati Nzonzo of misappropriation of public funds and threat to her life.
Mrs Istisfanus alleged that the chairman is running the affairs of the council just like his personal estate noting that monies accruing through Internally generated revenue sources are directly taken to him cash without any record for accountability.
Addressing a press conference Weekend in Yola, Istifanus who is also the Secretary of the council Committee on Accounts, Financed and Administration accused the chairman of victimizing her over her uncompromising stand with regard to transparency and accountability.
“I want to put it on record that within the past one year and four month, Lamurde local government council under the leadership of Hon.Vrati Nzonzo generate over N70 million but over 95 per cent of the money was not remitted into the council revenue account. Worst of all there is no project to show,” Istifanus said.
She also accused two of her colleagues, Timothy Ndeti representing Waduku ward
and that of Suwa ward, Luka Erisma of conniving with the chairman siphon the council’s funds.
“As a duly elected councillor who had sworn on oath to serve the people to the best of my ability cowed into keeping silent in the face of the findings and many allegations of misappropriation of public funds and contravention of the public finance management law of Adamawa state.
“Neither will I succumb of aiding and abetting through criminal conspiracy acts through which local government funds are siphoned,” Istifanus said.
She urged EFCC, ICPC , Adamawa state house of assembly and the audit department of the state ministry of local government to investigate the matter.
When contacted on the allegations, Nzonzo said he will not join issues with her stressing that the matter was a political one which obviously deserves political solution.
Nzonzo opined that Mrs Istisfanus should have table the matter at the hallowed chambers of legislature of the council as a lawmaker so that legislative approach could have been adopted.
However, the councillor representing Waduku Ward who is the council minority Leader and the chairman of the council committee on accounts, finance and administration, Timothy Ndeti, denied the allegations and accused Istifanus of being bitter over her removal as Deputy Leader of the council. Saying “we don’t have any corruption problem in Lamurde,” Ndeti said.
It would be recalled that,the council’s chairman was suspended for two months by the state legislature over alleged attempt to divert and sell 5 new tractors procured by joint effort of state government and local governments through joint account allocations in the state but was later lifted.
