Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has drawn criticism after declaring that even if he decided to “sell” the state to finance development projects, it was not the public’s concern.
The governor made the comment on 11 August 2025 during a stakeholders’ meeting in Tafa, Gurara and Suleja, where he sought endorsement for a second term in office. His remarks were captured in a video circulating online and have since sparked heated reactions over transparency and accountability in the state.
“If I were to sell Niger State to raise funds for the state projects, what is your business?” Bago told the gathering, insisting that residents should wait until the end of his tenure to judge him. “People should wait till after my eight-year tenure in office to question my worth, as I will be leaving the state with zero debt after eight years. I will also show you that this is what I met on the ground and this is what I’m leaving the state with.”
READ MORE: Nigeria Has No Business With Poverty; We Have All Factors of Production – Governor Bago
He dismissed concerns that his administration was already accumulating debt. “People are worried I’m collecting loans, but I haven’t started acquiring loans yet. This is just the beginning, and for the past administrations that collected loans, what did they do with them? Why are people taking medication for my headache?”
The governor also pushed back against criticism of poor infrastructure across the state, suggesting his administration was being unfairly blamed for long-standing problems. “They said schools, hospitals, and roads have gone bad. Is it my administration’s responsibility for it, or aren’t we just repairing what we met? People are posting and saying that just two years of my tenure, I have damaged schools, hospitals, and roads. We will not castigate one another because we belong to the same party; we are not fools,” he said.
Despite his assurances, the governor’s comments have intensified public debate over accountability and governance in Niger State, with many residents accusing him of arrogance at a time when poverty, insecurity, and lack of infrastructure remain widespread.
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