Yobe N20B Projects: Gov Buni's Successor Move Allegedly Aims to Dodge Future Investigations

Allegations are surfacing regarding Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni's political succession strategy, suggesting his endorsement of former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Baba Mallam Wali, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, might be intended to shield key officials from potential scrutiny over billions of naira allocated for government projects.

Sources with insight into the operations of the Yobe State Government informed SaharaReporters that Wali's emergence as the ruling party's flagbearer is not merely a political maneuver but is reportedly linked to his extensive involvement within the administration and his awareness of how significant projects and financial decisions were managed. These claims have gained renewed attention following a SaharaReporters inquiry into a government authorization for ₦1.5 billion, directed to the Ministry of Transport and Energy, intended for payments related to the International Cargo Airport, Damaturu. While in office, Wali signed the document approving these projects in his capacity as SSG.

An accompanying project schedule, exclusively revealed by SaharaReporters, details initiatives collectively valued at approximately ₦20 billion. This raises significant questions concerning the selection, pricing, awarding, and execution of these projects. The schedule encompasses items like airport equipment, furnishing, and runway lighting; the completion of modern markets in Damaturu, Nguru, Potiskum, and Gashua; electrification for Family Homes; various borehole projects; the construction of the Potiskum Transit Park; and a substantial ₦3 billion designated for consultancy services.

An individual who previously worked in Wali's office disclosed to SaharaReporters that the former SSG played a central role in the administrative processes surrounding several of these projects, with his office serving as a crucial conduit for project-related decisions and communications. The source emphasized, “The issue is bigger than one approval. You have to look at how the projects were priced, who got them, what was paid and what was actually delivered.”

**The Wali Succession Question**

According to sources familiar with the administration, Governor Buni's relationship with Wali extends beyond typical political patronage. One source characterized Wali as the governor’s trusted political “godson” and alleged that Buni views him as a suitable successor capable of safeguarding the interests of officials who served under his tenure. “The reason they are pushing Oga [Wali] is not only because he is their man. They believe that if he gets there, nobody will investigate what happened under Buni. He is the person they trust to protect everything they did,” the source claimed.

Another source indicated that some government circles perceive the succession arrangement as a means to maintain political control even after Governor Buni vacates office. “They know that once Buni leaves, the question will be, ‘What happened to all these billions?’ So they need somebody they can trust to take over. That is why they want Wali there,” the source alleged. Furthermore, the source contended that Wali’s intimate knowledge of the administration’s financial and administrative choices would make him unlikely to expose any potential malfeasance by officials who served under Governor Buni. “The thinking is simple, if your own person takes over, he will not open the books against you. He will protect the house because he was part of the house,” the source claimed.

However, it is important to note that no independent evidence has been presented to substantiate the claim that Governor Buni specifically supported Wali’s candidacy to prevent future investigations.

**Following The Money**

The sources urged that the ₦1.5 billion airport approval should not be viewed in isolation, advocating for investigators to meticulously examine the entire project schedule and meticulously track the funds from their initial approval through payment and subsequent execution. One source alleged that the structuring and pricing of certain projects raised concerns among officials, potentially creating avenues for funds to be diverted from their stated objectives. According to this source, the alleged pattern involved projects receiving substantial allocations, approvals being processed through established government channels, and costs allegedly being inflated to generate financial leeway that could later be utilized for political ends. “This is what the governor is blocking, and this is because Oga [Wali] was working under his instruction,” the source alleged.

Another source asserted that Wali’s office wielded considerable influence over administrative processes related to these projects. “He was not just signing papers. His office was where many of these things passed through before they moved to the next stage,” the source alleged, describing the office as a “major clearing point” for administrative decisions and correspondence concerning government projects. Among the listed projects, the ₦3 billion allocated for consultancy services particularly stands out.