SaharaRepoeters learnt that despite his new status, the deputy governor has had to make use of his private residence over two years after his inauguration.
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who is currently enjoying jumbo allowances has however denied the deputy governor, Crowther Seth, similar benefits.
SaharaRepoeters learnt that despite his new status, the deputy governor has had to make use of his private residence over two years after his inauguration.
A source privy to the matter disclosed to SaharaReporters that Governor Fintiri, who enjoys the full entitlements of a governor, has denied the deputy governor his rights.
The source said, "It's common knowledge that the Adamawa State Government House, which the immediate past administration of Governor Jibrilla Bindo tastefully renovated was again worked upon by Fintiri, costing the state hundreds of millions of naira.
"However, the governor has deliberately abandoned the deputy governor's official residence. It has never been so in the history of the state.
"The place has been overgrown with grasses, typical of abandoned quarters.
"Even the clinic within the house has been abandoned; not even a single paracetamol tablet could be found there.
"As if that is not enough, the official lodge of the deputy governor was also allocated as office complex to the State's Health Insurance Scheme."
Also, the deputy governor was said to have been allegedly denied all his accrued entitlements covering his duty tours so far.
"Crowther Seth is the only deputy governor in the history of the state who is given one air ticket anytime he is on duty tour outside the state or country.
"Even at that, all his accumulated allowances for those travels amounting to over N35 million have yet to be paid after over two years in office.
"Worse still, there's no backup vehicle in the deputy governor's convoy. His monthly running cost was slashed to N17 million from N37 million previously enjoyed by his predecessors.
"This necessitated a dramatic reduction in the retinue of security operatives attached to him, which is dangerous, considering the volatile security situation in the country," the source added.
Also according to the source, "the deputy governor has made several appeals to his boss for an upward review and settlements of all outstanding claims, but all his pleas have fallen on deaf ears as the governor is not ready to budge".
It was further learnt that Seth was initially mistaken for being a 'Bachama', a major tribe in the southern part of the state before the governor realised he is from a very small minority tribe, 'Kwa' from the Lamurde local government area.
It appears that due to this, the deputy governor has been seen as a liability and politically irrelavant in the government.
This revelation signals a simmering sour relationship between the governor and his deputy; even though as of now, the two leaders are carrying on as if all is well between them.
According to the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) provisions, which became effective on July 1, 2009, the estacode and Duty Tour Allowances would be made available to the state governors and deputy governors each time they request for them.
Aside from the amounts outlined in the package as it is contained in the RMAFC, the commission does not set any kind of limit to the amount of estacode and duty tour allowances the governors and deputy governors can receive.
The estacodes are the allowances given to the governors in foreign currencies when they go on foreign trips or duty tours.
The governor is, therefore, free to take any amount from the state coffers as remuneration for estacodes when on these foreign trips. The amount the governor can collect as a duty tour allowance for any of his local tours is also not stated in the RMAFC package.