LAYI OLANREWAJU,Ilorin
Barely a week after Prof. Wale Suleiman resigned his appointment as Special Adviser on Health to Kwara State governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, another member of the cabinet, Aisha Ahman-Pategi, has left her job as Commissioner for Special Duties. Mr Suleiman is a professor of neurosurgery and spinal surgery and former chairman for the neurosurgery department and back and spine center at the Ochsner Neuroscience Institute in New Orleans, US. Ahman-Pategi was recently moved from the ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to Special Duties ministry, where she barely settled down before throwing in the towel. Before her resignation, there had been rumours of a frosty relationship between Pategi and some of her cabinet colleagues over an alleged diversion of N300m meant for the local government councils in the state. Ahman-Pategi announced her resignation in a statement she personally signed and made available to the media in Ilorin on Friday. She noted in the statement that life is in phases and having enjoyed the political terrain with the governor, it was now time for her to leave and focus on new ideals.
“I, Aisha Ahman-Pategi, the outgoing Hon. Commissioner for Special Duties, effective from today, Friday 28, Aug. 2020, humbly wish to formally announce my resignation from the cabinet of His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. I wish to thank God Almighty for giving me the grace and opportunity to serve as Commissioner for Local Government and now exiting as Commissioner for Special Duties, serving my fellow Kwarans and representing Pategi Local Government in our drive to better the lot of Kwarans.
“Life is in phases and I’m bold to say that having journeyed the political terrain with His Excellency, Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, now is the time for me to leave and focus on new ideals. Going forward, my interest in Community Service and Grassroots’ Development will continue. “Once again, I would like to thank Almighty Allah, the People of Patigi, Kwarans, our dear party APC and most of all, His Excellency for bringing me into politics. May Allah reward him and continue to be his guide as he pilots the affairs of our dear State”, she stated.
Meanwhile, the state government in a short statement signed by Harriet Afolabi-Oshatimehin, the Commissioner for Communications said it has received the resignation of Ahman-Pategi. “The government accepts same, and wishes her the best in her future endeavours”, it added.