Serious drama ensued on Thursday at the launching of 38 buses when the General Manager of the Niger state Transport Authority (NSTA) Yakubu Sallau, was stopped at the middle of his address by the state Governor Abubakar Bello for his inability to pronounced the word “His Excellency” after more than three attempts.
It was learnt that Sallau was speaking after the state commissioner of Transport, Hajiya Ramatu YaraAdua had welcomed the Governor to the event before he got stuck at the two-letter words of ‘His Excellency’.
It was gathered by our correspondent that the governor signalled the Master of Ceremony (MC) at the event, Shaka Adaba to stop the General Manager from further embarrassment and breach of protocol.
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The master of ceremony, acting on governor’s signal immediately collected the microphone from the General Manager as the audience began to shout “it is enough, it is ok”.
one man at the event who gave his name as Ibrahim Bello, told newsmen that he was surprised that the General Manager could not complete reading his speech, explaining that it could be as a result of over excitement.
Governor Bello in his remarks said the buses were procured with a loan facility from a bank, adding that the management of NSTA must work assiduously to repay the loan.
He expressed the determination of his administration to provide affordable and safe means of transportation to the people of the state.
Speaking with our correspondent on the drama, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mary Berje argued that her principal was not the one that stopped the general manager at a point of reading the address.
“I can tell you authoritatively that it was not my boss that stopped the GM while addressing the gathering. I do not know what exactly transpired to the GM, however the Governor did not say anything, Berje said.
