Agency Report

Some youths from North East sub region under the auspices of the North Eastern Youths Advocacy for Peace and Development (NEYAPAD) has announced that they would resist alleged plan to scuttle confirmation of 12 nominees as members of the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

The Group made the disclosure on Wednesday in a statement signed by its Secretary, Mr Safiyanu Ya’u and made available to newsmen in Kaduna.

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of 12 nominees as members of the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

The president’s request is contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Ahmad Lawan dated 3 May 2023.

The nominees include; Bashir Baale, Chairman, (North East, Yobe); Suwaiba Baba, Executive Director, Humanitarian Affairs, (North East, Taraba)

Others are Musa Yashi, Executive Director, Administration and Finance, (North East, Bauchi); Ismaila Maksha, Executive Director, Operations (North East, Adamawa) and Umar Hashidu, MD/CEO, (North East, Gombe).

According to the Statement, some political elite from the Northeast had allegedly begun clandestine moves to scuttle the confirmation of the Governing Board Management of NEDC describing the move as selfish.

“The plan to scuttle the confirmation of the nominees most especially Umar Hashidu, MD/CEO, (North East, Gombe), is not only unacceptable but a coup plot against the Nigerian Youths community.

“Haven followed meticulously the glowing antecedents of Engr. Umar Hashidu right from his days at the Kano electricity distribution company (KEDCO) and until recently the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) we are convinced that the accomplished technocrat now public servant has the needed skills and the know-how to drive the pilots seat in the efforts to restore the lost glory of the beleaguered North East Sub-region,” it added.

NEYAPAP, however, reaffirmed its support to the nominees saying that the composition comprise of the best brains in Nigeria’s private and public sector.