Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Youth Development Minister sacked for mismanaging NYCN election- Abati

The presidency has said President Goodluck Jonathan sacked the
Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir, following his
deviation from the presidential commitment in the management of the
National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) elections.
President Goodluck Jonathan's spokesman, Reuben Abati, said the
president did not fire the minister for failing to favour a
pro-Jonathan candidate during the NYCN election as stated by some
reports.
Mr. Abdulkadir was sacked on Monday with the Sports Minister, Bolaji
Abdullahi, appointed to supervise the Youth Development Ministry.
Mr. Abati said the President "remains sincerely and unwaveringly
committed to doing all within his powers to promote the credibility
and integrity of the electoral process at all levels in the country".
According to him, the president was very displeased with the
mishandling of the NYCN elections in Makurdi and Minna by the Ministry
of Youth Development which resulted in the unfortunate
fractionalization of the youth council.
"The President found the Ministry's failure to provide appropriate
leadership towards open and transparent youth council elections
unacceptable.
However, presidency sources told PREMIUM TIMESthat although the Youth
Council elections had caused some controversy around the minister,it
was his relationship with the Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko,
and other PDP governors believed to be opposed to Mr. Jonathan's
planned re-election bid that led to his eventual sack.
"President Jonathan is sincerely committed to doing everything
possible to ensure that the Nigerian youth, on whom the country's
aspirations for abright and prosperous future depend, are given the
best possible upbringing and orientation," he said.
He added that the President "therefore expects all officials of his
administration to exhibit greater rectitude and sensitivity on issues
related to youth development, and comport themselves at all times in a
manner worthy of emulation by Nigerian youth".
"We wish to assure the general public that nothing could be further
from the truth. President Jonathan regards all Nigerian youth as his
wards andconstituents. Claims that he had a preferred candidate in the
NYCN elections are completely baseless and without justification as
there was absolutely no reason for him to prefer one candidate over
others".
He added that Mr. Jonathan believes that a culture of free, fair, and
credible elections must be constantly nurtured and encouraged amongst
Nigerian youth and all other sections of the country.
"In point of fact, it was Alhaji Abdulkadir's regrettable deviation
from thispresidential commitment in the management of the NYCN
elections that led to the decision to relieve him of his appointment
as Minister of Youth Development," Mr. Abati said.

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