Bauchi Assembly Slams Critics Over Auditor General’s Report

The chairman of the Bauchi State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts,  Mubarak Haruna, has fired back at what he described as “baseless, unfounded and mischievous” allegations aimed at discrediting the state government, the governor and the legislature.

Speaking with journalists yesterday, Haruna, who represents Jama’are Constituency, categorically dismissed reports suggesting that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had failed to address audit queries raised by the Auditor-General.

“I am not a member of the ruling PDP, and I am neither planning nor attempting to join the PDP,” he declared, setting the tone for a no-holds-barred defence of the committee’s work. “What I am saying today is not to please anyone, but to set the record straight.”

According to Haruna, the PAC has diligently carried out its constitutional oversight responsibilities since assuming office, insisting that claims of missing figures or unresolved audit issues are “pure falsehoods.”

He revealed that the committee conducted extensive oversight visits to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as local government councils, where management teams presented official records and documents for scrutiny.

“After thorough investigation, we did not find any such figures or claims as alleged by the newspaper report,” he said.

Haruna outlined a string of actions taken by the Assembly through the PAC, including the review and scrutiny of audit reports, investigations into financial irregularities, public hearings with accounting officers, monitoring of audit recommendations, and budget defence sessions for the Offices of the Auditor-General for both state and local governments.

In a key revelation, the PAC chairman disclosed that all audit queries and observations contained in the 2024 Auditor-General’s report have been fully addressed.

He stressed that the House of Assembly operates strictly within constitutional provisions and due process, warning the public against accepting “documents and narratives” that have not passed through legally recognised channels.

“Until such procedures are followed, anything being circulated should be treated as speculation,” Haruna said.

The lawmaker also pointed to recently passed legislation aimed at strengthening financial management and oversight in Bauchi State, adding that the committee regularly reports its findings to the full House.

Haruna praised the administration of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed for implementing the Assembly’s resolutions on transparency and accountability, assuring citizens that the legislature remains independent and free from executive interference.

“We have nothing to hide,” he declared. “Truth, due process and constitutional responsibility will always guide our actions.”

He urged the public to disregard what he called misleading and unverified reports designed to sow confusion and undermine the integrity of the House.

“Bauchi State is not about any individual,” Haruna concluded. “It is about the people. And as legislators, we are committed to serving them with integrity, transparency and independence.”