By Emmanuel Olukotun

The Niger State Government has denied reports suggesting a rift within the State Executive Council (SEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, asserting that all members of the council are diligently engaged in their official duties.

This clarification follows rumours circulating that commissioners have been shunning the weekly media briefings due to a lack of substantial updates on their activities since the current administration took office over two years ago.

It has been reported that the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hajiya Binta Mamman, remains the only consistent participant at the briefings, while about 85% of the commissioners have allegedly never attended the sessions.

Unconfirmed reports have also suggested a cold relationship between Governor Umar Bago and his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, as well as with some commissioners, particularly over matters relating to contract awards, project execution, and the broader administration of the state — including recent developments from the just-concluded APC primaries.

Some members of the council are said to be avoiding media engagements out of concern that they might be questioned about their performance, preferring to either stay out of public view or only appear at events where the governor is present.

There are also claims that commissioners feel sidelined, with decisions and contract awards reportedly being made solely by the governor, while they are left to merely supervise and report back.

However, Commissioner Mamman dismissed these claims on Tuesday, stating:

“The Commissioners and other members of the SEC are out in the field working hard to deliver on the collective mandate of the Bago-led administration. No, there’s no crack in the system. The SEC, as it is constituted, is intact. Most of the commissioners are on the field doing one thing or another in accordance with the mandate.”

She highlighted the establishment of three new Agro-Processing Zones in Bida, Mokwa, and Minna as key projects the administration should be commended for.

Mamman was joined by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment, and Private Sector Development, Mallam Hamza Sarki Bello, who revealed that Governor Bago had secured certificates for the establishment of the new Agro-Processing Zones, aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business in the state.