‘Fish out faceless groups accusing Vice President Shettima over reappointment of Board, Management of NEDC’

By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi

Security agents particularly operatives of the DSS have been charged to as a matter of urgency,  fish out those faceless persons and groups making false and baseless allegations against the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima on the reappoimtment of the Board and Managing Director of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Managing Director Mohammad Goni Alkali. 

The charge was made by a group known as, North East Elders and Youth Peoples Forum (NEYPF) during a press conference held in Bauchi. 

While addressing Journalists jointly, the Chairman of the group, Alhaji Salihu Magaji flanked by the Secretary, Lawal Abdullahi stated the unwarranted attack on the reappointment of Alkali Goni 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 the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President, Kashim.Shettiman and the Senate for finding Alkali Goni along side other appointees worthy of reappointment into the NEDC board, the group described the “naysayers” as enemies of North-East subregion. 

The group added that those planning to making false allegations to distract Alkali Goni from consolidating on the good work he has started of repositioning the subregion through execution of laudable project in the region. 

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

He also said that 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 they were apppinted according to the laws of the country. 

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

The Chairman added that, “We outrightly condemn the sponsors of the false and imaginary write up. We are sad that these self centered faceless group did not see anything good in this appointment to congratulate the beneciaries? but chose to malign and cast aspersions on his well deserved appointment.”

 “Consequently, we urge relevant respected citizens of the subregion to ignore all forms of unholy antagonism against Alkali Goni and other board members,” he added. 

The group called on the security agencies to unravel this faceless group tyring to sow a seed of discord in the country stating  however, that  they would continue to support any individual or cause that would bring development and unity to the people of North Eastern Nigeria.

On his part, Lawal Abdullahi, Secretary of the group said that the security agents should fish out the writers of the article for denigrating distiguished respected Nigerian in the person of the Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima.

“They should show their sponsors, we searched and checked, no one knows so called Dr Haruna Garus Gololo, we have searched Corporate Affairs Commission there is no registered group called North East Pressure group,” he claimed. 

He further stressed that, “if members of the group are sincere, let them.come out openly so that all can see them.If they are sincere we are waiting for them in court, where they remain silent, let the secirity agencies fish out the writers of the mischievious story.” 

He said that, “we have already informed all security agencies to trail the authors of the mischievous write up and bring them to book.”