By Suzan Edeh

Bauchi—BAUCHI State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, under the Freedom of Information Act 2011, yesterday, dragged the state government to the State High Court demanding an explanation on the outstanding government loan.

Musa Idris Hardawa, who filed the suit on behalf of APC, claimed the party was aware that the state government was indebted to some financial institutions to the tune of N8.8 billion.
He urged the court to compel the State Government to explain the N25 billon allegedly borrowed.

Hardawa equally asked the court to compel the state lawmakers and auditor- general of the state to investigate and conduct a public hearing on the state debt profile.
Counsel to the complainant, Kassim Abdul Hamid, said the party was worried the current government was leaving a huge debt for the incoming government, and if the issue was not addressed now, it would create a big burden for the incoming government.

He said if APC won the governorship election in the 2015 general election, the debt might undermine the  Government.
According Kassim, the complainant wrote a letter and asked the defendant to provide the party with information on the balance of government loan under freedom of information act 2011, but the defendant refused.

The complainant alleged that it was learnt through an online report that Government allegedly took N15 billion loan to build houses for the former Governor, his Deputy, the incumbent Governor and his Deputy, arguing that the defendant had no power to collect such loan and convert same to personal use.
He claimed the defendants had no means of paying the loans because Government was owing workers’ salaries and unable  to settle pensioners N10 billion gratuity.
The presiding judge, Justice Abdulkadir Suleiman is to fix a date for hearing of the motion.