A political pressure group operating under the aegis of Bauchi Political Activists (BAPA), has described the reappointment of Musa Umar Yashi as Executive Director Humanitarian Services of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), as unconstitutional against the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No.141 Vol. 104 of October 31, 2017 Establishment Act 2017 that birthed the Commission should be revisited.
According to the Group, Musa Umar Yashi, representing Bauchi State on the NEDC Board, has already served a four-year tenure as Executive Director Humanitarian Affairs, but reappointed for a second and last tenure on the same position which violates Section 5 of the First Schedule Part 1- establishing the Commission that states: “The offices of the Chairman, Managing Director, Executive Director (Administration and Finances), Executive Director (Humanitarian Affairs), Executive Director (Operations) and the member representing the North-East Zone shall rotate amongst the Member States of the Commission in the order set out in the Second Schedule of this Act”.
By this violation, Musa Umar Yashi should be disengaged from representing Bauchi State on the Board of NEDC to pave way for an immediate replacement for better representation devoid of parochial sentiments and high handedness.
The Group further said despite Yashi’s unsubstantiated claims of supporting the presidential ambition of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023, blended with clandestine moves shrouded in secrecy to replace Goni Alkali as managing director of the Commission, Musa Umar Yashi has woefully failed over the years to provide the required representation and support to Bauchi State with several development strides rolled out by the Commission that are concentrated in two particular states within the sub-region.
In a press statement issued to journalists in Abuja and made available to this medium, spokesman of the group Muhammed Chinade, stated that in most cases the distribution pattern of palliatives and other basic necessities such as infrastructure that are periodically initiated by the Commission to states, the few allocated to Bauchi State are lopsided with the largest chunk going to his family members and relations while contracts are either awarded to fictitious companies or fronts and cronies from other climes that should be thoroughly investigated.
According to the release, one of those most unqualified persons to occupy any position of responsibility in NEDC is Musa Umar Yashi going by his past antecedents in where he served including the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) where he was sacked for incapacitation and other unruly behaviors against the interest of Nigerians, particularly Bauchi State.
“In 2023, he claimed to have supported the presidential aspiration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but we have it on authority that he instead, played the ostrich by only shouting support to the aspiration of Tinubu in public but behind the scene, he never supported its success. He was clever by half as he hid the real candidate he was supporting until the election was over.
“We all expected his support to Tinubu with all sincerity but the reverse was the case as various Tinubu Support Groups within the North-East had approached him for support which he ignored until Tinubu made his way to victory and declared winner of the election, Yashi started a mocked celebration and beating his chest shamelessly for the victory without genuine reason
“As representative of Bauchi State in NEDC, he has nothing positive to show as his contribution to improving the welfare of the people that can justify his continuous stay in the Commission other than nepotism and highhandedness spiced with hypocrisy and deceit. He neither interacts with the people nor has a listening ear to their plight for address”, he said.
Chinade appealed to the Tinubu administration to liaise with Bauchi State Government for replacement of Musa Umar Yashi in the interest of good governance not minding political party difference but effective service delivery should be the cornerstone.
