A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Engr Umar Mustapha, has condemned the flyovers built in the state capital, Yola, by the administration of incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.
Umar Mustapha, in an interaction with newsmen in Yola on Saturday, said the two flyovers have created problems of their own without solving any, and that he would remove them if he succeeds in his quest to become governor come 2023.
“Why would you borrow money to do these useless bridges which have worsened traffic problems in many ways?What they have done is a blunder, although they don’t want to accept it,” the governorship aspirant said.
Stressing his distaste for the flyovers, the main opposition governorship hopeful said, “If these bridges stand after I am elected, it will mean I have not been chosen by the people.”
PulseNets reports that Umaru Mustapha is an ardent critic of Ahmadu Fintiri and his government, and had on one occasion paid a heavy price for it.
When Governor Fintiri presented SUVs and escort vehicles to each of the five First Class emirs and chiefs in the state last year, Umar Mustapha rose stoutly in condemnation of the gesture.
He had wondered why Fintiri would spend N200 million to buy brand new expensive cars for monarchs at a time pensioners were being owed entitlements.
“It’s a misplaced priority to spend N200 million getting vehicles for traditional rulers while pensioners are dying of hunger,” he had said.
In response, the Adamawa Emirate Council said that for complaining over the purchase of cars to the traditional system of which he was a part, Umar Mustapha was no longer fit to hold the traditional title of ‘Mukaddas Adamawa’.
He was immediately dispossessed of the title, forcing him since then to parade only Otumba of Ekiti, his other traditional title.
