PDP crisis: Jonathan axes youth minister
Dae Posed: 27/08/2013
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.
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.”
SOURCE: PUNCH
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