Dankwambo, Goje feud over projects

The relationship between the Gombe Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo and his predecessor, Danjuma Goje, has become frosty, as they have disagreed over the execution of some projects in the state.

The former governor had placed an advertorial in some national dailies where he listed some projects as part of his major contributions to the state.

Goje, now a senator cited the construction of the state’s regional water supply, the international airport and the central mosque among his numerous achievements as governor.

But, in a swift reaction, Dankwambo has faulted the former governor.

According to him, contrary to the claims in the advertorial, he facilitated these projects while he was the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).

Dankwambo made the clarification in Gombe at the visit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was in the state to mark the 20th anniversary of its creation.

The governor, who had also been the state’s accountant general, said Obasanjo was a witness to the fact that he executed these projects.

Dankwambo explained that his intervention as the AGF gave birth to the Gombe International Airport.

The governor recounted how he persuaded former President Obasanjo to include Gombe, when he sought his views on how to raise funds for the construction of the Katsina airport.

He said: “That airport we are seeing today was as a result of that my intervention.”

Dankwambo explained that the decision to build the Gombe regional water supply scheme was also taken when he was the accountant-general under the first executive governor of the state, Abubakar Habu Hashidu.

He added that he personally mobilised the funds to the tune of N200million, out of the N420million earmarked for the Gombe central mosque, contrary to Goje’s claim that he built it.

The former governor has not yet reacted to Dankwambo’s clarification.

He could not be reached for further clarifications, as he was absent throughout the one-week of the activities marking the anniversary.