Governor Aminu Bello Masari on Wednesday evening had his last cabinet meeting with members of the Katsina state executive council.
The meeting began a few minutes before 3 p.m. and lasted till about 8 p.m., during which council members reviewed Governor Masari’s eight years in office and awarded him pass marks.
Aside from the council members, the Deputy Governor-elect, Mallam Faruq Jobe, was also in attendance.
Governor Masari was philosophical while addressing members of the council, observing that nothing was permanent in the world.
He also told the council members that they were lucky to have been given the opportunity to serve the state.
He maintained that his government executed projects and programmes that impacted positively on the lives of the people of the state.
The governor specifically mentioned such sectors as education, infrastructural development, health, and agriculture as some of the programmes.
He declared: “We have served the state to the best of our knowledge and according to our ability. All the programmes and projects that we executed as government were those that would have a positive impact on the people of the state. It is time for us to leave and give rooms for a new set of people to run the state.
“We thank the Almighty Allah that those coming are not new to us. They are our party members. For instance, the Governor-elect, Dr. Dikko Radda, was the first chief of staff in our regime. The Deputy Governor-elect, Mallam Faruq Jobe, was also one-time Special Adviser on Budget and Economic Planning and later Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning. So, we should give them our full support to make them succeed.”
Governor Masari pleaded for forgiveness from those who might have been wronged by his decisions, insisting that all the decisions taken by him as governor were in the best interest of Katsina State.
He said, “Personally, I have forgiven those who could have offended me, but I am also pleading for forgiveness from those we could have wronged by our decisions. All the decisions taken were in the best interest of Katsina State. Nothing personal.”
The governor also recalled that his regime had to contend with the challenges of insurgence, banditry, and COVID-19 among others, insisting that he was leaving the state better than he met it.
All members of the cabinet who spoke, including his deputy, Mannir Yakubu, Secretary to the Government of the state, Muntari Lawan, and Special Adviser on Security, Ahmad Katsina lauded Governor Masari for his tolerance, patience and humility.
They also lauded him for mentoring them politically.
