Youth Council Absolves Education Minister Over Varsity Contract Scam

By Kuni Tyessi

The National Youth Council Of Nigeria (NYCN) and a number of Civil Society Organisations has exonerated the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, of involvement in alleged contract scam at the Federal University, Gusau.

NYCN President, Solomon Adodo on behalf of other organisations, said in a communique that Adamu couldn’t have been found culpable in a contract scam when he had been instrumental in the reduction of enrollment cost for NECO, UTME /JAMB, among others.

An online news platform (not THISDAY), had allegedly linked the minister to a contract scam at the University of Gusau to the tune of N3billion meant for the construction of perimeter wall fence around the institution.

Besides roping the Minister in, several millions of naira was also alleged to have exchanged hands between Adamu’s relatives, including the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Male Buni, the Governor’s younger brother, Adamu’s wife, Hajiya Ladi Adamu, Alhaji Gambo Muazu, among others.

It was also alleged that currently, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Gusau, Professor Magaji Garba, is cooling off at the holding cell of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC), in Abuja.

The youth council leadership however, frowned at the allegations, describing those behind the propaganda as plotting desperate attempts to disparage the image of the minister and derail the spate of progress being recorded in the education sector, all in a bid to paint the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in a bad light.

“It is therefore with utmost dismay that the National Youth Council of Nigeria and her partners have noted the desperate attempts to disparage the image of the Minister of Education and derail the spate of progress being recorded in the educational sector all in a bid to paint the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in a bad light.

“The attack is not only geared at crippling the recovery the education sector is recording after the devastating Covid-19 lockdown, but also a subtle smear strategy against the government.”

According to the communique, available records show that neither did the EFCC nor any other anti-graft agency invited the minister.