Borno Gov, Zulum Removes Lawmaker's Name From Commissioner Nominees List

By Saeed Tijjani

Babagana Zulum, the Governor of Borno State, has removed Ibrahim Ngoshe's name from the list of commissioner-nominees that was submitted to the state House of Assembly for screening on Friday. 

The governor's spokesperson, Mallam Isa Gusau, stated in a Saturday statement that Zulum had made the decision to remove Ngoshe's name and had informed the house of his choice. Ngoshe, who hails from the Gwoza local government area in the Southern Borno senatorial district, had competed for the Gwoza State Constituency ticket as an aspirant for the All Progressives Congress, but was unsuccessful.

Gusau further revealed that the number of commissioner-nominees being screened by the state House of Assembly has been reduced from 18 to 17.

It remains unclear whether Ngoshe's ongoing case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was the reason behind the governor's decision.

In March, Ngoshe was arraigned before the Borno State High Court on charges of criminal misappropriation, to which he pleaded not guilty. The charges accused him of dishonestly misappropriating funds meant for staff salaries, additional structures, and other projects for Mairi Islamic Senior Secondary School, where he served as the Principal, and diverting them to establish his own school, Sheik Abba Aji Memorial Integrated School, at Mairi Kuwait.

The misappropriated amount was stated to be N24,000,000.00.