Shettima Never Associated Govs With Stealing – Spokesman
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno Governor has declared that he never associated governors with stealing, insisting that he could not openly come out and attack his colleagues with unfounded allegations of graft.
Speaking through his spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, the governor, who spoke at event on Tuesday, hinged the challenges of governance in Nigeria on the activities of the elite, including himself.
According to the press statement by Gusau, who also attended the graduation of 42 escaped Chibok schoolgirls where Shettima spoke on Tuesday, the governor was shocked to read some media houses attributing something entirely funny on what he said at the event.
“Kashim Shettima is a Governor who is known to have so much respect for all his colleagues. He doesn’t even address his own deputy by his name not to talk fellow Governors and their deputies. Governor Shettima is also smart to know that it will foolhardy for any Governor to attack his own colleagues particularly with allegations as serious as stealing.
“From investigation, that angle of story was first published by one known opponent of the Governor through his Facebook page and within two hours, it was lifted by online media house and then two Newspapers erroneously reported it. For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Shettima never mentioned Governors or any particular group of persons throughout his conversation that was in clear English, well understood by all participants.
“The Governor spoke on elites and he clearly said that as an elite himself, he was no free from being part of the problem hence the need for all elites to join hands in addressing the challenges of education, poverty and insecurity in the country. Media houses are kindly advised to be on the look for severe attempts to drag Governor Shettima into all kinds of controversies principally for political contest that the Governor has no time for,” the statement said.