No plan to stop Agara’s appointment as NPC boss – Gov Sule

By Linus Oota, Lafia

Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule has denied media report that he joined forces with the chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Gambari to stop the appointment of the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Silas Agara as Chairman, National Population Commission, NPC.

Governor Sule was reacting Monday in Lafia to a publication by Sahara reporters on 23rd August 2020, that he is among top northern Muslims working against a Christian being appointed to head the NPC.

According to the report “Some officials with the Nigerian government are making frantic moved to replace Ali Silas Agara, a Christian from Nasarawa state nominated to take over as chairman of NPC, with a Muslim from Kano state.

“Governor of Nasarawa state and chief of staff to the President had told the President not to handover NPC to a Christian, there is a plan to replace Agara with a Muslim, Kura Isa from Kano”.

But speaking through his chief press secretary, Ibrahim Addra, governor Sule said that there is absolutely no iota of truth in these claims.

According to him “We are equally appalled by the religious slant being introduced at a time all well-meaning citizens are working to build bridges across divides, especially in Nasarawa State.

“Matters of appointment of individuals into positions such as the one in question are the preserve of President Muhammadu Buhari, so to suggest pressure from Governor Abdullahi Sule in that respect or an alleged plan is laughable.

“Governor Sule’s antecedents, predisposition, exposure and world view do not cast him in the mould of a bigot that is being speculated. The recent appointment of Mr. Henry Omaku a Christian, as ambassador representing the state negates the impression that the story seeks to create.

“Those who know Engr. Sule or have interacted with him would be having a good laugh at this misadventure.

This allegation is a desperate attempt to distract Engr. Abdullahi Sule from delivering on his promises to the people of Nasarawa State, such attempts shall fail,” he said.