Our interview team consisted of Danjuma Maguna, Jonathan Elendu and team leader, Prince Charles Dickson. Here is the entire interview with the man fondly called, “The Joshua of our time” by his admirers. Incidentally, for the interview he wore a white T shirt with the inscription: “Joshua of our time.”

Here is Joshua Chibi Dariye, Executive Governor of Plateau State, unleashed!
QUE: What is going on between you and the EFCC?

ANS: Well, as much as possible, I would like to restrain further comment outside of what I mentioned a couple of days ago because the issue is still in court and I don’t want to be guilty of what lawyers call subjudice but without going into details, I have to say the alleged diversion of ecological funds has been very dramatic and creating sensations. No money was diverted. N800 million meant for Plateau State was fully accounted for. If you go mathematical, minus N800m...N100m went to PDP South West to sustain the Party structure leading to the presidency campaign was fully accounted for. N100m for PDP North East fully accounted for. N10m was given to Senator Mantu, which he is yet to account for. N66m was given to Plateau State PDP for the 207 wards. So if you divide N66m over 207 wards, an average of N318,000.00 and N8m or so went to the Ministry that is the practice. N1m went for the commission on transaction (COT).
 
If one was fraudulent, I am a Chartered accountant, a Public Certified Accountant, I will not take my letterhead and be asked to be giving money. I am not exactly foolish; I am not a glorified illiterate, that’s all I can say for now. I know what I am doing.

QUE: Yes, but PDP has denied receiving the money and in fact challenged you to offer proof of payment...

ANS: Bode George admitted, the Vice President today(February 10), said yes the money went to the presidential campaign organization and the money was refunded. What Nigerians should ask is who refunded it and how was the money refunded? Instead of wasting time on spilt milk...there are other serious issues dividing Nigeria's attention. These are diversions...if EFCC, they want to clear the system, they should look at corruption, its right there in their place.

QUE: What do you mean in their place?

ANS: I am speaking like a Journalist; (Laughter) I still maintain my theory, that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

QUE: So do you stand by that statement?

ANS: Absolutely!

QUE: Who is the statement directed at?

ANS: Generic

QUE: Sir, it didn’t use to be like this, the situation and circumstance….


ANS: Well, people are playing dirty politics and they want to hang a good man and call him bad names because… There is no point. If as gentlemen we acted in good faith and parties all over the world are funded in these kind of manner, its not only peculiar to Plateau State, but since people are struggling for the soul of Plateau, people who have not paid their dues...Senator Mantu wants to emerge an imaginary leader. We have people like General Gowon, Gen Useni, Solomon D. Lar, J. D. Gomwalk of blessed memory and someone who has not paid his dues just because he succeeded in giving 13 people of Plateau State board appointments and suddenly he discovers he must be a leader, he must be a dreamer! What is the evidence of leadership? What has he done? Right in his backyard in Gindiri where a dam is suppose to be located, he has taken the money upfront and diverted it.
 
And if EFCC is doing its proper job…but of course the EFCC is an agent of Mantu because before they came to Plateau they spent five hours at the National Assembly complex for briefing. I have authority to prove that one. So what kind of nonsense are they saying? I am not from the Niger Republic. I am a Nigerian. A bonafide Nigerian, properly elected and my operation is guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so nobody can intimidate us, or force us to walk like second class citizens.



The law operating the federation is very clear. Every federating unit State is independent of the others, like my professor of law, and my lawyer, ask him, once you investigate a State account, money due to that state, the only person that can raise question in that is the House of Assembly or the Auditor-General of the state. By no reasons are these authorities overlapping. It’s like me, as a State Governor going to ask what happened to NEPA, what about the cankerworm eating the Nigerian Ports Authority? Why is EFCC not going there? Mantu was challenged by El-Rufai of N55m bribe solicitation...why have they not visited that one? There have been several accusations. So, if people have that sinister motive, I do not want to make it personal……we leave that one for another day. These are dead issues.

QUE: One issue on the table is that there have been moves to reconcile you and Mantu. What is the state of the reconciliation move?

ANS: That has not been taken even in proper context. What happened was that the Catholic Bishop, Archdiocese of Jos, Rt. Rev.  Dr. Iganatius Kaigama as part of his passion and quest for peace said the over heating of the system is being caused by the political class, religious class and traditional class. Let us come and accept the dialogue of life, and we were all invited and everybody was admonished to play a role to attain peace and we decided to zero it to the specifics and say well we believe the polarity of the PDP, probably the factions led by Mantu and these other ones, if we close rank, it would go a long way and we all gave an undertaking and said well, we believe that the religious leaders mean well. Let us provide five nominees each from both sides so that they would further discuss on finding peace ….. I believe that the Reverend gentleman meant well. We also mean well but I do not think the other people meant well because no sooner than we left, they started using EFCC to come and attack the House… intimidate the House. This man Ribadu, he is lucky. Elsewhere, he would have been sued if anything happened to the Speaker’s wife who was pregnant and could have collapsed of shock.
 
Yet, this EFCC had tabled before the House a situation, a holistic investigation on the activities of the Governor of Plateau State to  which of course Lamorde had testified and was supposed to be cross-examined and he took a long adjournment to appear on the 10th February. Today is the tenth I am not sure he showed up. He wanted to circumvent the justice and you know the law says ‘he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’ So, the question of reconciliation, I am not the chairman. I believe as independent reporters you will do well to check. We have people balancing both sides and as the chairman of the committee, His Grace, Dr. Kaigama, they are supposed to do it, they are the only ones, if they decide to stall the peace, they will be the ones……we will not relent, we believe peace is the ingredient that will facilitate even development in a democracy like ours.

QUE: Are you behind the move to recall Mantu?

ANS: This is an expression; the collective will of the voters of the Plateau central senatorial district. It’s not an issue of Dariye. There is no love lost between me and Mantu. I will not get anything if he is recalled. If the people decide today collectively and say look, we are dissatisfied and I read in the media one Captain Din, one of the leaders of the petition said, ‘we believe we sold a bad product to Nigeria. We are sorry. This man is a moral liability, and a political liability. We like to call him home.’ So be it.  They did the right thing. I think they have submitted their petition to INEC. INEC has written to them that these signatures will be verified to see if they were correctly obtained. So we cannot stop anybody from exercising his duly given constitutional duties… that’s how we enjoy democracy.

QUE: Let’s go back a little bit to the PDP, the money you gave. Do you think it was the proper thing to do?

ANS: I am just telling you. There is no question of proper to do here.  This is how it is done all over the world. You do not take state money and give to a political party….the donation is not state money.

QUE: ... This was money meant for the development of Plateau state...

ANS: No, no, no, the N800m was money meant for development of Plateau State which is fully accounted for and it’s just like in America, you use donations from mega companies and high net worth individuals to fund political movements. Dick Cheney and George Bush have people who contributed to their party purse. I am not holding brief for PDP but I really believe that most of what have been said are none issues...but like I said, there is nothing wrong in what we have done. I don’t want to make further comment on this. If it was wrong, why did they collect the money in the first place? If it was wrong, who initiated it? I did not initiate it.

QUE: Who initiated it?

ANS: I really don’t want to say. Let’s leave the thing like it is in the news reports. I don’t like to discuss this because like I told you, the case is in court and any further discussion or explanation is subjudice to all parties. I would not be fair to myself nor the other party but I just gave you a brief resume of where the money went. You are a journalist, you can go and do detailed investigation and ask the people. The VP said something that was instructive on page 4 of Thisday (Feb 10^th edition.) John Odey or those talking in the PDP where were they when this was going on? They know nothing about the PDP. Bode George has also admitted. I don’t want to hold brief, I am not the trustee of PDP…..once I speak, I speak about the moment.

QUES: Before now, there was a cordial relationship existing between you and Senator Mantu. What went wrong?

ANS: Ask him, he knows better. Like I said, he is struggling to become a supreme leader, the ultimate, his majesty. That is why he wants to be an emperor. We will not take that. Plateau people are very educated people. The people are very organized. Nobody or one person… we have dignitaries. Since 1960 when we became independent, we have had people; seasoned administrators, and retired Generals. General Gowon served the nation at the age of thirty-two and retired and has been contributing until recently when he started the Nigeria prays. He has not at any point in time proclaimed himself as the ultimate leader. Late JD Gomwalk of blessed memory is not alive to speak for himself, Solomon Lar the first civilian Governor of Plateau State, who was at the National Assembly and the United Middle Belt Congress in 1958 and served in the political arena and several others posts until he became Governor in 1979 never said he was ultimate leader. General Useni was second in command in this country…or is it third, he never called himself the ultimate leader. Shagaya led the ECOMOG... General Dogonyaro also. You can name them. Who is who on the Plateau is a reservoir of human resources; he is just a Senator in the late millennium. He is saying he is the ultimate leader. For what? Leader of his on congress or what? It is very appalling. He has not paid his dues. He wants to pop in and then we will be paying dues to him like Melchizedek. Abraham was taking tithe to Melchizedek and we said no, you will not get it. We will not carry the State subvention and be giving it to you monthly…for what? You will recall during the State of Emergency unconfirmed reports had it that he called General Onoja and asked him to give him N80m facilitation fee. General Onoja said I have served as a Military Administrator in this State; you cannot get this kind of money. I don’t have it.  I won’t be part of it. The man is not a gentleman, I am sorry.

QUES: Now, that you have mentioned the state of emergency, there are claims that since the state of emergency was declared, there have been no cases of violence.

ANS: People just wanted to make a fortune out of the State of Emergency. The crises in 2001 had a history going back over the years. It was bottled emotions people could not express.  Before the unfortunate incident of the emergency, there was a violent attack on worshippers in a church in Yelwa Shendam. I visited the scene with the then Commissioner of Police. We appealed for calm and told them a reprisal attack would not solve the problem. We prayed with them and the former President of COCIN, Rev Alexander Lar. It was the reprisal attack that spiraled into full crises, but though it happened in localized  Yelwa Shendam, where the population is not up to 200,000. Is that enough to justify a state of emergency? Had it been they wanted to do a State of Emergency, the constitution is clear: The President has a right to declare a State of Emergency where there is eminent danger to life or escalation of violence but you cannot destroy democratic structures because of State of Emergency.
 
This again has been addressed by lawyers and eminent jurists. We went to the Supreme Court, the only thing we lost to was the procedure. We were told that it was Chris Ali that was supposed to challenge the state of emergency not us. With respect to the judgment, I find that obnoxious. It’s like saying your laptop was stolen and because that thief did not come to report at the police stationt the owner who reported has lost the case. How can Ali, who has illegally benefited from something, challenge it? That’s part of history, the watershed of life.

QUES: With regards to the state of emergency, everyone talks of the Mantu factor...

ANS: If you talk about the State of Emergency, you run the clock down…with due respect Mantu made a fortune of it. Mantu cried and said that he lost nine people but even one chicken in his backyard did not die. So let’s go on. I get irritated on issues that do not add value. It is a historical thing. I am an accountant. There is what we call sum costs. Sum costs are costs that are incurred no matter what you do. They are not redeemable, they are not going to add value to your enterprise. They won’t make you grow, it is gone. Whoever are the merchants of emergency, whether it was right or wrong, posterity will vindicate us.

It's just like when Chris Ali called elders of the land for a peace meeting, when one of the elders asked him: “If Jos was truly on fire, would it be possible for you to bring peace in 6 months?”

I am not saying that what the President did was wrong. The President was concerned, I was concerned. But I do not agree with what was read that day, because it doesn’t describe me, I am not irresponsible. I am caring. I love my people. People up there cannot love my people more than those who voted me. As you can see there is even development in this State. I do not blow my trumpet.

QUE: Talking about development...In terms of development, how far have you gone?

ANS: Sanitation, roads....when we came in, we divided our developmental plans into the three Senatorial zones and asked what were their peculiar problems and how best to tackle them as priorities...roads, schools, water, health and then we immediately got to work… building schools, hospitals, several kilometers of roads, rural electrification....we have one of the best HIV/AIDS labs in the country...
 
QUES: How many kilometers of roads have you done in the past six years?
 
ANS: We have done roads worth N6b. There were roads before now in Jos where you couldn’t go…where roads were built on water pipes. There were no plans for the future. Imagine you build a road on top of a pipe and the pipe burst, you have to break the road. We’ve done several township roads in Pankshin, Shendam, Shimankar. There is another N4b road construction in Shemdam, roads in Kwande, roads that have been abandoned for several years. We have spent some N3billion on township roads, excluding that of direct labor agency. In road rehabilitation, we have had a look at the situation of rural dwellers that live on subsistent farming, so they needed good access roads. In establishing the direct labor agency, we passed a bill into law, bought fairly used tractors from Julius Berger, and the Plateau Agricultural Development Programme, PADP is complimenting.
 
QUE:  Sir, you mean you spent over N10b on roads?
 
ANS: I cannot give you an accurate figure. By my estimation, it is over six billion naira…because if one road is taking over N4b…. in Mantu’s place, we spent over N400m. Township roads over N2b. I don’t have it in my head. My commissioner of works would give you the statistics.
 
QUE: Dariye and the presidency…what is your view of the third term move?
 
ANS: Well, as far as I am concerned, Mr. President has not told us that he is going for a third term. So, I will wait and assume that he is leaving by 2007. We are operating under a Constitution. If he so declares and it is the wish and aspirations of the people of Nigeria, through a Constitutional amendment; a two third of the National and State Houses of Assembly, I would have no objection to that because what is good for Nigeria is good for Plateau State and what is bad for Nigeria is bad for Plateau State. And I can’t support anything except it has no problem. I have no comment on the third term now. I cannot mourn more than the bereaved.
 
QUE: If the president declares that he wants a third term….
 
ANS: It’s not a question of him (President). Nigeria is not a personal estate. It’s not a personal enterprise. I cannot impose my wish on the people of Plateau State. If Nigerians want the man to rule for life, so be it. It will be the collective expression of the people of Nigeria. When you seek the office….like we went to Otta to beg the man to come out in 1999, it was not my will, like it was not his will, so it cannot be my will or his will but the will of Nigerians.
 
QUE: Let’s shift gears here. What is the position of the case with the Metropolitan Police?
 
 
ANS: We are still in court. What most people do not know is that I was the one who initially took them to court, their action was illegal. I enjoy diplomatic privileges. Nigeria is a signatory to certain conventions like the Vienna Convention. So what they did in arresting me was illegal. The Nigerian Constitution is clear about it, I did not write that section or any section of the Constitution. The Constitution is not a Dariye thing… it was not done to favour me. So we took them to Court. The first ruling was not favourable so we appealed. The only cash which I never denied was some that I had on me for a cousin's medical and some personal expense... People are saying I have properties in London, America, Switzerland and so forth…its simply rubbish, I wish I had  so much wealth. The only small property I have is a flat in London, flat 28 for my kids...as for my foreign accounts I am required to close them and I will do it at the appropriate time.
 
QUE; They also alleged that some of the money recovered at your place was covered with a substance that tested positive for illegal drugs…
 
ANS: I am just hearing that for the first time from you. I am not aware of that.
 
 
QUES: And the credit card scam...
 
ANS: No, no, no… they got that the whole story wrong, that’s not true...what really happened is: One, I was never arrested for money laundering. There was a gentleman called Christopher, a friend of mine whom I met in Sheraton...a young hardworking man and because of his desire and quest for knowledge, he asked if I could help him with his education...I asked him where he wanted to go and he said Thames Valley University. I called him and asked if he could help me lodge some ₤11, 000 into my account to help me sort some few things and he said why not. Incidentally he was squatting with one other guy, who was being investigated for credit card fraud. I never knew the guy from Adam and still do not know him...my problem started because they saw my pay teller in a book when they raided the house. The case was properly handled. The guy in question has had appropriate action taken against him and Chris is free, he is working at Marriott Hotels. So that is the end o that story. I have no relationship whatsoever with the matter.
 
QUE: Dariye and the Presidency. What is your view about the third term bid of Mr. President?
 
ANS: Well, as far as I am concerned, Mr. President has not told us that he is going for a third term. So, I will wait and assume that he is leaving by 2007. We are operating under a Constitution. If he so declares and it is the wishes and aspiration of the people of Nigeria, through Constitutional amendment; a two third of the National and State Houses of Assembly, I would have no objection to that because what is good for Nigeria is good for Plateau State and what is bad for Nigeria is bad for Plateau State. And I can’t support anything except it has no problems. So, let’s just say I have no comment on the third term now. I cannot mourn more than he bereaved.
 
QUE: So, why did you leave London, more like jump bail?
 
ANS: I was not under detention. When it became obvious I was not under any arrest…I had a court sitting to report to on the 14th and the emergency period ended on the 18^th of December and I resumed on the 18^th. I had not made my budget requirement. My lawyer issued a notice that I cannot make it in court and they refused and they now said the man jumped bail and how has jumping bail become a financial crime anyway? You should know better. And how EFCC has decided to carry this as a cross I don’t know. Jumping bail, assuming it was jumping bail, is that a crime for EFCC? This people don’t know what to do, they don’t know what they are doing.
 
QUE: Are you afraid that what happened to Alamieyeseigha may happen to you?
 
ANS: Afraid of what? How can that happen? What happened in Bayelsa and my case are not related. I regret what happened in Bayelsa. Proper procedure was not followed.
 
QUE: We hear there are moves and speculations that you are planning on resigning.
 
ANS: What have I done?
 
QUE: A long wrap sheet of accusations.
 
ANS: From where?
 
QUE: From EFCC and other agencies.
 
ANS: EFCC? Did they vote for me? Why can’t Ribadu resign? He is a liability to Nigerians. Why has Ribadu not resigned? Where was he when we voted for  Obasanjo?
 
QUE: Why did you say he is a liability?
 
ANS: He makes a lot of noise and an investigator doesn’t have to make a lot of noise. He barks a lot. He barks before he bites. I have worked in investigations. I was the Chief Inspector of Lion Bank. You do your job silently. You do this anyhow. I told him last time: Shut up, stop insulting people. Nigeria is not a police State. He is condemning Babangida, Buhari. Stop condemning people. Take them to court. And don’t use seminar to condemn people. He is both the judge and the jury. He should search his conscience. When was the last time the board of EFCC met? When? Nigerians would like to know how that money was spent. You use money to prevent crime. Nigerians want to know. It’s not his money. You and I need to know. When he travels, he uses $20,000 or any amount. We want to see the balance sheet. Please could you interview Ribadu? Governor Dariye is asking: “How much has he received from European Union? How prudent has he been? Has he used that money because when they go investigating, the longer they stay the more money they get. People are still in detention. They are supposed to get a meal of N500, they get meals of N200. What nonsense! The thing we are doing is jungle justice. You can’t come to my house and arrest me. Nobody has challenged him properly because they think the man is a god. He has met cowards.”    
 
 
 
QUE: There are rumors that General Gowon, Solomon Lar and other elders of the state are on your pay roll.
 
ANS: How can you put these people on a payroll… this should show the desperation by Mantu to become a leader, that’s what I am telling you. This is talk of people who are drinking in a joint. Must you ruin these people’s hard earned reputations? General Gowon is not just a mere figure in Plateau. He is an international figure. Solomon Lar was the first chairman of the PDP, who saw Obasanjo become President in a free and fair primary here in Rwang Pam stadium, where I was the local organizing secretary. That is total blackmail (cough) they do this one and you find….. you know, it is just because they have no sense of purpose. You cannot get power through blackmail or intimidation. If you didn’t win at the polls, you cannot get in otherwise. It’s too late in the day. In this State, we are a very enlightened… where by the grace of God we call it Jesus Our Savior, (JOS). It is God’s covenant state and we will not mortgage the conscience of our people; generations born and unborn because of money. We will survive it. I keep telling people, Exodus chapter 14, verse 13 to 14, it’s very relevant to our circumstance. When the Israelites left Egypt, you know, there was this fear when they, the Egyptians, chariots, chariots of Pharaoh and Moses said listen, this is real but stand still and see the salvation of God. Egyptians you see today, you will see them no more. Hold your peace, God will fight for us. We haven’t gone further. We don’t know the way to Aso rock but we know the rock of ages, under his shadow we will hide, and this thing will pass away. Every problem has an expiry date. Every manipulation…all these sycophants who have been feasting on creating problems will soon fizzle out. Let them be cautious. People should not take refuge in a temporary situation.
 
QUE: How would you describe your relationship with the Plateau State House of Assembly?
 
ANS: It is a normal relationship. We have three arms of government. The executive, the judiciary and the legislative. There is no conflict of role. We are out to serve one State, Plateau. We will not compromise…on no account would the executive compromise. No one is subordinate to the other. We are all independent and if you find people doing their jobs and you say they are rubber stamp, then, they must be good rubber stamp.
 
 
QUE: There are reports that since your admission that money was donated to the PDP through you, there is a new movement now to commence impeachment proceedings against you. How do you react to that?
 
ANS: (Annoyance) when people talk about impeachment, impeachment, why can’t they impeach themselves? They are the ones that are the end receivers. They should start by impeaching Mantu and the rest of the others…(laughter). If I have my way, if it is jungle justice, I should impeach them (more laughter). Oh you know this world, its like, you know…..
 
QUE: Where would Joshua Chibi Dariye be in 2007?
 
ANS: It’s very simple because He lives, I can face tomorrow. All fear is gone. I am not the one who holds the future. Life is worth living because He lives. Why do I sing that song? Where was Mantu when I came into the political platform? I was the last of 8 candidates. I never thought I would become governor. Most of them, very seasoned politicians and I became governor. Mine is let me do what I can do well today, tomorrow would sort itself out. I don’t know what the future holds. So many people are killing themselves today…amassing so much for 2007. God knows you may not get to see 2007. 2007 has 2 possibilities. One, a pregnant woman who gave birth to a still birth, a twin or just one baby. Only God gives life. He knows where we are going to be. We are not an accident in this planet. He knows everything in this country. If the people of Plateau decide, yes, well Governor Dariye, you served us well, we want you to serve us in another capacity, why not? If they don’t do that, I can contribute in another way. Whoever succeeds me, and I pray that a passionate person and more committed person, who will also excel succeed me. Where I made mistakes, he won’t. I will compliment what he is doing and give him full support, whoever he is. I am not an idle person.
 
QUE: Do you want to be Senator.
 
ANS: (pause) if that is the wish of the people of the Central zone, where I come from. They will decide. At the moment, I am the Governor of Plateau State. I am content with what I am doing for now. I have one year plus to round up. Let me do this job very well more importantly because when you begin to think too much, you are futuristic. Instead of occupying yourself with the present, you will not do the present very well and you begin to fantasize your visions and missions and you begin to miss the now, and the now is important.
 
QUE: Did you at anytime tell Mantu that if you did not win the governorship election, you will go for the senate?
 
ANS: (heavy Laughter) you see, these are private discussions. At no point in time did we complain that… when was I not going to win? I had to support him to win because without me, he wouldn’t have won.  First God used me as a vessel in 1999 and of course, we helped him because he was in ANPP. He came as a late arrival. If you produce newspapers very late, there is no way you can sell them. You will end up with unsold products. He was part of the unsold quality of ANPP but we managed to re-package him and sold him to the public. And he was overwhelmed by his success. He messed up and we parted ways and again when the presidency intervened, we repackaged the guy and gave him to the public. But his temporary victory seems to have swallowed his head and vision. I think he has a highly inflated view of himself.
 
QUE: Have you done well as a Governor?
 
ANS: All I can say is, like my friend Williams, the American insurance guy would say, all I can do I can do and all I can do is the best. I am not the judge of myself. The people of Plateau State are the ones that will judge me. And very soon, when I leave, you know, some of my policies…like chiefdom and district creation, educational sub-sector, empowerment, whatever, these are things that would tell, but I cannot say I have done that. All I can say is that I thank God for the challenges. These problems have made me a better leader. They will not distract me any day. The more they become stronger, the more the grace. The bible says where sin abound the more, the more the grace.
 
QUE: All this money that the EFCC alleged have been transferred from some bank accounts to your foreign accounts, how do you account for them?
 
ANS: (annoyance) look my friend, I was not an idle man. Let’s leave this please. I never came to government house like some of this guys who were wearing bathroom slippers. I fought my elections and I told you earlier, I was the last candidate. I fought with people like Badugu Hirse. Tell them I gave them the run of their lives. When people were donating N10, 000 that time, I was donating N500, 000 and in 1992, I had N25m in Alpha merchant bank. Go and ask them. What is all this? What is the value of N25m…and I also lost money to several failed banks, not only Alpha Merchant bank. I also lost money to Forum finance. What was Dariye worth? Was I a beggar? In 2003 elections, I raised N600m for my campaign. Is there any law that says you should not transfer money to your foreign accounts? No. the only law I bridged was that I should have closed my account. I would have transferred the proceeds….I’ve had that account since 1992. I would have moved the account back under domiciliary account here. Or suspend activities, which I didn’t know. A couple of people were told, please, close your account or you will be prosecuted but for Dariye, because Mantu wanted to make a fortune out of me…but God says no, and they better realize that God says no.
 
QUE: Did you declare your assets?
 
ANS: Yes I did, of course, in 1999 and 2003.
 
QUE: So, in your popular phrase, would you say you are living the State better than you met it?
 
ANS: (Laughter) oh yes, you see that’s me. I will leave the State better than I met it. 2+2=5 and that synergy is important. Because I tell people, if I come in here and I don’t do anything, I am like Methuselah who did 969 years and he died, achieving nothing. Then I have no business being governor for one day. Definitely, I am leaving the State better than I met it. You know people envy. They thought we have got empty heads. We are humbled by our achievements. We don’t make noise about it and we are not intimidating anybody either. Because we see ourselves as sons of God outside of God we are nothing really, but within God, we are something. So, we will leave the state better than we met it. An enduring legacy, a people who are secured in God.
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it