Dikko hits credibility storm
The appointment of a new Executive Secretary for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) may rob President Goodluck Jonathan of the support of his key ally in the north, Plateau State governor, David Jonah Jang, Pointblanknews.com investigations have revealed.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Thursday announced Dr. Suleiman Dikko as the new helmsman at UBEC.
Anyim, according to a statement signed by his Special Assistant (media) Mr Sam Nwaobasi, said Dikko’s “appointment is for a period of four years with effect from Nov.19, 2013.”
Pointblanknews.com gathered that
Dikko’s appointment may have run into a credibility storm, as President Jonathan may have been misled into breaching the law setting up the commission.
Section 10 (1) (d) of the UBEC Act, 2004. states that the Executive Secretary of the commission “shall,,, hold office for a term of five years in the first instance, renewable for fours years on satisfactory performance and no more.”
However, the SGF said President Jonathan appointed Dikko for a period of four years.”
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) told Pointblanknews.com that appointing Dikko for a period of four years in clear breach of the UBEC Act, “makes the purported appointment null and void and of no effect.”
He said, “UBEC was established by an Act of the National Assembly. Nobody, including the President, has the powers to amend any section thereof. In my opinion, the purported appointment has no legal backing and whatever actions the man takes can be challenged in court.”
He added, “It goes to show the quality of people at the helm of affairs of our country today. If the federal government cannot take its time to study the extant laws on such an appointment, then we are in big trouble”
Meanwhile, Pointblanknews.com gathered that another storm is brewing between Governor Jang and President Jonathan over the UBEC appointment.
Jang, a retired Airforce General and former military administrator, is not only considered Jonathan’s key ally in the ranks of the northern governors, but also chairman of a faction of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) loyal to the president.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that Jang is cross with Jonathan for making him nominate a candidate for the UBEC top job, only to dump same for Dikko, who was nominated by Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema.
Jang had officially written Jonathan indicating interest in a former commissioner for education in his state, Dr. Yakubu Gambo, for the UBEC top job.
A letter from Jang to the president dated 27th September, 2012, bore the heading “Letter of Recommendation of Dr. Yakubu N. Gambo”.
The three-paragraph letter, which bore reference number GH/S/A/XX, read,
“May I use the opportunity to recommend Dr. Yakubu N. Gambo for appointment as the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission.
“Enclosed is his curriculum vitae for your consideration.
“As you consider this recommendation, accept my personal assurances of the highest consideration.” Signed Dr. Jonah David Jang, Governor.
According to the enclosed CV, Gambo has a Teachers Grade II Certificate, a National Certificate in Education (NCE), a Bachelors of Science degree in Education (BSc. Edu), and a Masters degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies.
In addition, Jang’s nominee, who has been councillor, deputy chairman of Kanam local council, Special Adviser, two-time commissioner, and member of UBEC board, has a PhD in political science.
Pointblanknews.com also gathered that Jang, who has had a running battle with muslims in Plateau State, had nominated Gambo, who is muslim, as a strategy to douse the religious campaign against him.
A source in Government House, Jos, told Pointblanknews.com that Jang is so devastated by the let down by Jonathan, and that his close associates are considering launching a counter-political attack on Jonathan whom they claimed had no honour.
“His Excellency (Jang) has been so humiliated by the appointment. Imagine all the assurances Mr. President gave that he would appoint his nominee who, by all standards is better equipped for the job?
“We had warned the governor to rely less on promises made by Mr. President, but he would not listen. The Governor took one of biggest political plunges of his career on his birthday on 13 March, this year. He boasted to all that President Jonathan had promised Plateau State the headship of UBEC. All that is gone with the wind,” he lamented.
“For Mr. President to have settled for a nominee of Shema, the same man who betrayed him during the NGF crisis, speak volumes. Mr. President is gradually proving to be man who does not reward loyalty. It would seem that the only language Mr. President understands is threats ,” he added
On what Jang’s reaction might be, he said:
“I can’t say. Oga (Jang) has been very withdrawn. By his military training, he is a man of few words. All I can say that things will never remain the same between Plateau, a state that gave Mr. President the highest number of votes in the entire north, and the Presidency. They had chosen the people to work with. We can only wish them well.”
Investigations by Pointblanknews.com
revealed that Governor Shema had deployed very power people in the Presidential Villa to make Jonathan drop Jang’s nominee for Shema’s.
“I can confirm that a lot of money was involved. On three occasions, Shema won UBEC’s Good Performance Award. The award is worth N1 billion each year, meaning Shema has gotten N3 billion so far. He therefore knows the importance of UBEC. On his part, Jang relied on relationship. See why the hawks were able to dislodge him?” the source declared.