‘Fish Out Faceless Groups Accusing Shettima over Reappointment  of NEDC Board’

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

A socio-political group, North East Elders and Youth Peoples Forum (NEYPF), has called on security agents, particularly operatives of the DSS, to as a matter of urgency fish out “faceless persons and groups making false and baseless allegations” against the Vice President Kashim Shettima on the reappointment of the board and management of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and the Managing Director of the commission, Mohammad Goni Alkali.

The Chairman of the group, Alhaji Salihu Magaji, and the group Secretary, Lawal Abdullahi, who made the call at a press conference held in Bauchi yesterday stated that the unwarranted attack on the reappointment of Alkali and the false threat to go to court by the ‘faceless and unregistered group’ was nothing but “mischievous and based on hatred, malice, envy and ignorance.”

While commending President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and the Senate for finding Alkali and other appointees worthy of reappointment into the NEDC board, the group described the “naysayers” as enemies of the North-east sub-region.

The group added that those planning to make false allegations to distract Alkali from consolidating on the good work he has started to reposition the sub-region through the execution of laudable projects in the region.

Magaji also said the people behind the statement were feigning ignorance on how federal appointments were made, to sway the unsuspecting public to their mischief ploy to cause the crisis.

He also said the essence of the press conference was to correct the false narrative against the board members, stressing that due process was followed in their appointment and that they were appointed according to the laws of the country.

According to him, “First of all, we wish to appreciate President Tinubu for the reappointment of the board. We are indeed proud of Alkali; he has a humble political pedigree, and sagacity, and he is versatile in all fields of human endeavour.”

“But we condemn the sponsors of the false and imaginary write up. We are sad that these self-centered faceless groups did not see anything good in this appointment to congratulate the beneficiaries, but chose to malign and cast aspersions on his well-deserved appointment.

“They should tell their sponsors that we have searched and checked, no one knows the so-called Dr. Haruna Garus Gololo. We have also searched Corporate Affairs Commission, and there is no registered group called North East Pressure group.”