His deputy, Nuhu Gidado, resigned on Wednesday; and before then, three other top officials had resigned.
Mr Abubakar gave reasons for the development in a brief chat with State House correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.
Q: Why did your deputy resign, what transpired between the two of you?
A: What transpired is in the letter of the deputy and I think people should read that letter. Read the entire letter and you will see that there was nothing bad that transpired between us. His final paragraph is that he remains loyal to his leader and his brother. In my response I eulogised him and wished him the best in his future endeavour and assured him of the support of the good people of Bauchi State. There was no problem whatsoever.
Q: Why was it easy for you to accept his resignation?
A: The word resignation connotes a will on the part of the person who has offered. He offered his letter willingly and there is no way you can force him to accept an employment when the time has come for him to look elsewhere.
Q: How was the working relationship between you two?
A: We had the most fantastic working relationship. In his words and you can ask him, he has said several times that he is the most pampered deputy governor in Nigeria.
Q: From what we are hearing, three other persons have left your government. Why are people leaving your government?
A: Because I have come to Bauchi State to ensure change and change is very very difficult for people to accept.
People are used to a certain way of doing business and I have come to change that way of doing business. Because, that way was destroying Bauchi State. So, we had to put a stop to it, we had to bring Bauchi State out of the dungeon. I give people a chance and if you think you can go at my pace you stay and if you can’t go at my pace you resign.
Q: So did your deputy resign because he couldn’t go at your pace and are we expecting more resignation?
A: I don’t know.
Q: The spokesman to the deputy governor said on television that he resigned because he was not being treated as part of the government?
A: I see. I think he was wrong. Go to the House of Assembly and check, I went on official leave twice since I took over and each time I transmitted a letter to the House of Assembly making him the acting governor of Bauchi. Moreover, I have him in the most important ministry, the ministry of education, where I have been allocating the largest share of the budget of Bauchi State since 2008. That should answer your question.
