The frosty relationship between
President Goodluck Jonathan and five northern governors on Monday
claimed its victim as the President ordered the sack of the Minister of
Youth Affairs, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir. Read more
Our correspondents learnt that the
minister was sacked, among other reasons, because of his continuous
loyalty to the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko.
Until his appointment, Abdulkadir was the state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice in the Wamakko administration.
It was gathered that the minister would
be replaced by another indigene of Sokoto State that could be trusted to
deliver the state for Jonathan in 2015.
The minister was said to have stayed
this long because of the belief that he would shift his loyalty from
Wamakko to the President.
A Presidency source said, “The President
cannot afford to retain any minister, who is working at cross purposes
with him in any state.
“Ministers are supposed to be the eyes
of the President in the states. If the President cannot guarantee a
minister’s loyalty, such a minister will go. That is why he has been
asked to leave.”
The sack of Abdulkadir was announced
through a statement by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim.
The statement signed by Anyim’s Special
Assistant (Media), Sam Nwaobasi, reads, “His Excellency Dr. Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan, GCFR President and Commander–in–Chief of the Armed
Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria has relieved Inuwa Abdul-kadir, Esq
of his appointment as Honourable Minister of Youth Development with
effect from August 26, 2013.
“The former minister is to hand over to
the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
Mr. President expresses appreciation to the former minister for the time
he put in the services of the nation and wishes him success in his
future endeavours.”
When one of our correspondents contacted the former minister, he said that he learnt of his removal from the correspondent.
Conversation with our correspondent:
PUNCH correspondent, “Is that Alhaji Inuwa Abdul-kadir?
Abdulkadir: “Yes, speaking please.
PUNCH correspondent:
“I just got a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation relieving you of your appointment as
Minister of Youth Development. I want to confirm from you…
Abdulkadir: I am just hearing it from you.
PUNCH correspondent: “You mean, you’re hearing from me?
Abdulkadir: “I said, I’m just hearing it from you.”
PUNCH correspondent: Can I call you later?
Abdulkadir: Yes, you can.
But several calls by our correspondent to the embattled ex-minister’s mobile phone were not replied.
Wamakko, the Niger State Governor, Dr.
Babangida Aliyu; Alhajiu Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Alhaji Rabiu Kwankanso
(Kano) and their Adamawa State Governor, Alhaji Muritala Nyako, had
visited former leaders and President Goodluck Jonathan.
They had complained about how the ruling
People’s Democratic Party was being run, the crisis in Rivers State and
the behaviour of some presidential aides.
It was gathered that the President
removed Abdulkadir based on the advice of some of his aides, who said
that it would be politically suicidal for Jonathan to leave him.
The presidential aide, who confided in
one of our correspondents, said, “We expect other ministers to emulate
the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who has been
unflinchingly loyal to the President in spite of his Governor, Rotimi
Amaechi’s stand against Jonathan and his wife, Patience.”
Investigations also showed that the
minister must have been sacked because of the allegation of imposition
of a candidate at a recent election of the National Youth Council of
Nigeria.
The Forum of State Chairmen of the NYCN
had a few months ago accused the minister of imposing a leader on the
council in a purported election held in Makurdi, Benue State.
It was gathered that reports submitted
by the SSS DG and the senior special assistant to the President also
worked against the minister.
A presidency source said, “The reports
indicated the election was not transparent enough. This administration
does not want to lose respect it has enjoyed for conducting free and
fair election.”
It was gathered that the Presidency
became suspicious about the motive for the imposition of a candidate on
NYCN because the council would play a key role in the 2015 elections.
The Presidency source said, “We do not want anybody to install youths who will be antagonistic to this administration in 2015.”
When asked if truly the minister was
sacked because of the crisis in NYC, Special Adviser to the President on
Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, simply said, “I have no idea.by Niyi Odebode, Olusola Fabiyi, Lekan Adetayo and Friday Olokor
Culled from Punch newspaper
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