Criticism of FAAN, CBN departments’ relocation can incite northerners – Yobe gov’s SA

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Yobe State on Students’ Affairs, Abdulmumin Liman, speaks to MUHAMMED LAWAL on the hike in tuition fees in many tertiary institutions, issues surrounding the youth, among others in the state

How do you feel serving as a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Yobe State on Students’ Affairs at this young age?

Well, to me, age is just a number what is important is the person’s ability to contribute towards societal development in whatever capacity he is being asked to.

With respect to me, coming to my constituency, the students know that I am so much informed about student matters.

I have served students in many capacities from being the number one student in the entire state (National President of the National Union of Yobe State Students) to becoming the Majority Leader of the Nigerian Students Parliament, and now to being appointed the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Yobe State on Students’ Affairs.

My expertise in both offices held prior to the SSA has actually groomed me to face reality and has given me the strength to deliver my mandates exceptionally which made me record numerous accomplishments to the students.

One of the greatness is the multi-million naira utility buses for the students’ unions namely (NUYOSS & NANS Yobe Axis), getting approvals for the reconstruction of the Yobe apex Students’ Union Secretariat, supports our teeming students to return home free from their respective institutions during the last year’s naira scarcity and supports to vulnerable students who could not cope with the hikes in the tertiary institutions tuition fees among others.

Perhaps, these have made the people of Yobe State rate my performances as one of the best SSA Yobe has had.

Have you ever been oppressed or discriminated against by senior officers considering your age and experience in the political realm?

None, not at all! It has never happened here in Yobe. Our politicians and civil servants are birds of the same plumage.

Besides, the pace of success set in place by my humble self starting from when I was the number one student in the state to the achievements made so far in my capacity as SSA would not have become possible without the support of the elderly and experienced political heroes and informed civil servants in the state. I am always welcomed by them.

Truly, they always respect me and appreciate the ideas I contribute considering my age. The goodies I come with to the table, hence they support me in achieving all of them.

You once said the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, was always in Abuja to woo investors. So far, how many investors have visited the state since you made that statement?

I did not say always. I responded to some critics of the Peoples Democratic Party claiming that the governor has been out for some weeks, while the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor has always been keeping us up-to-date on the activities of the governor in Abuja, which has to do with wooing foreign investors.

I am not in support of it solely because there is no point so far in convincing the northerners of the need to relocate some departments in the agencies.

However, that I am not in support of this does not invalidate the decision of the President. He knows better as a leader.

Reading about the take of the elite and leaders from the North, the approach is not the best when voicing out in a situation like this.

Advising the President or highlighting openly the problem such relocation may cause will add more to the feelings of the North because the words used are more of trying to incite people.

Preaching about a breach of trust and political disagreements that may result from this act openly is not good. Although, the Vice President was said to have claimed that there would be no relocation, the attempt is already making northerners see the current administration as favouring the southern part of the country.

However, that does not mean that as leaders of the North, they should not have opposed the decision of the Federal Government instead, their call should be channelled to the economic growth and advancement of this country; Nigeria first.

The President is the chief executive officer of the land and he has the right by virtue of the power conferred on him by the constitution to decide the country’s greatness. However, it is not all decisions of the President that require public hearings