Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has faulted the allegation that he was paid N500 million rent for living in his own house, saying that the development is a total lie fabricated by some people to tarnish his image.
Aliyu, who spoke during an interview with selected journalists in Abuja yesterday, also decried the insinuation recently made by former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa on the issue, saying that the allegation was first made in a petition sent to the Niger State House of Assembly in 2009.
The governor said when the allegation was first made, security agents waded into the matter and investigated it.
He added that the security agents found that the memo allegedly raised by his Chief of Staff Dr. Peter Sarki, asking for the amount to be paid to the governor was a forgery, saying that the security agents also found that his approval signature was superimposed on the document by the same forgers.
Governor Aliyu said he never asked for rent payment for living in his house, which he said he decided to occupy because it is more comfortable than the Government House in Minna.
According to him, “he built the house many years ago, to fit his status as the holder of traditional title of Talban Minna. No one ever paid him such rent and no one ever collected rent on his behalf.”
He blamed detractors opposed to his reform measures for spreading the rumour, saying as a former federal permanent secretary, he found many things wrong with the way the state government was being run and decided to revamp it.
He said when he investigated the pension system in the state, it was found that one person was collecting 32 salaries every month, saying that he did not expect such people to take it lying down now that the avenue for stealing has been blocked.