Two professors have been elected local government chairmen in Borno state.
Adamu Alooma and Ibrahim Bukar, the professors, were among the 27 chairmen sworn in by Babagana Zulum, the governor, on Wednesday.
Zulum is also a professor.
While Alooma, a professor of banking and finance and former dean of the faculty of management sciences at the University of Maiduguri, took oath as chairman of Damboa local government area, Bukar, who is a professor of education, also at the same university, was sworn in as chairman of Gwoza local government area.
During the swearing in ceremony of the chairmen, which took place at the multipurpose hall of the Government House in Maiduguri, Zulum said election was not conducted in the state for over 10 years, due to the lingering security situation in Borno.
He directed the ministry for local government and emirate affairs to immediately release to the elected chairmen, all funds allocated to the 27 local government councils from the federation account so they could begin to “impact lives at the grassroots”.
He, however, called on the elected officials to discharge their duties with the fear of God, but without fear or favour.
He charged all the elected officials to operate in their respective local government headquarters that are safe and with citizens living there.
He said it would be unfair for the chairmen to operate from Maiduguri, the state capital, when those who cast votes for them live in local government areas outside Maiduguri.
Zulum charged the chairmen to live and operate from the midst of their people in order to know problems of the moments and address them.