Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has refuted recent media claims suggesting that he mandated formal attire for state civil servants.
This comes in response to a viral video in which the governor was purportedly heard advising civil servants to abandon traditional attire and engage in farming activities.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the governor’s spokesperson, Bologi Ibrahim, asserted that the media had taken the governor’s words out of context, failing to grasp the original meaning. Ibrahim clarified that Governor Bago did not announce any specific dress code for civil servants but rather emphasized the importance of dressing according to the professional requirements of their roles.
According to Ibrahim, the viral video was deliberately and mischievously edited to tarnish the governor’s image, urging the public to dismiss the clip and refer to the full video for a comprehensive understanding of the governor’s message.
Cautioning social media influencers, Ibrahim urged them to exercise diligence in verifying and understanding the information they share, emphasizing the importance of accurate representation.
Ibrahim explained, “Mr. Governor believes that, as a state, we have no reason to be poor due to the significant agricultural potential. His government is already heavily investing in the agricultural revolution.” He clarified that the governor’s intention was to encourage civil servants to actively participate in farming while maintaining a smart appearance, not to impose a dress code for office attire.
“The governor was only encouraging civil servants to be farmers and to be good farmers. The governor merely encouraged public workers to always dress smartly to the farm, which did not imply that civil servants now have a dress code for the office from Monday to Thursday, as erroneously captured in the circulating video,” Ibrahim concluded.
