Gov Mai Mai Buni of Yobe State has suspended Hon. Idrissa Mai Bukar Machina, the Chairman of Machina Local Government Council, over allegations bordering on misconduct and insubordination.
This action comes shortly after the chairmen were sworn in following their election victory on June 8.
According to government sources who spoke with Daily Trust, the issue leading to Machina’s suspension arose when he allegedly refused to comply with Governor Buni’s directive.
The directive required all newly elected local government chairmen to conduct the swearing-in of their vice chairmen, local government secretaries, and councillors within their respective jurisdictions. Machina’s failure to adhere to this directive reportedly sparked a significant dispute.
The political landscape in Machina is described as highly factionalized, with two major groups striving for control and influence.
This factionalism is further complicated by the presence of influential local figures such as Bashir Machina and the Commissioner of Youth and Sports, Hon. Barma Shattima. The conflict over local appointments and adherence to state directives has intensified these divisions.
Local government officials have expressed that the suspension serves as a warning to other officials about the importance of loyalty and adherence to directives from state authorities.
One of the sources said, “The faction of Barma Shattima brought the Vice Chairman of the Local Government, while Bashir Machina was given a slot to produce the Secretary of the LG. But when the secretary of the local government was sworn in, this was rejected by Barma Shattima’s faction. They insisted that the LG chairman comes from former SSG Babagwani Machina, who is an ally of Bashir Machina, and thus Bashir Machina should not also produce the secretary.”
With Governor Buni away in Saudi Arabia, the deputy governor, Idi Barde Gubana, directed Machina to halt the swearing-in of the secretary, but Machina refused. This act of defiance was a significant factor in his suspension, the source added.
When contacted over the allegations levelled against him, the suspended LG chairman said, “I just handed over the affairs of the local government council to the vice chairman. There is nothing new in life. Now we are into politics. As you know, we are living with our destiny. Whether my suspension is political or not, we thank the state government and our parents. We will obey the government directive on this.”
