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- Says their continued stay in office an afront to government, and minus to APC leadership
- Praises Kyamo for sanitising aviation industry
- Says Wike is a hero
From Idu Jude, Abuja
As both the Managing Director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety (NIMASA) Dr Ibrahim Jamoh and the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Koko Bello, continues to occupy offices after the expiration of five years tenures without renewal, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr Garus Gololo, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to quickly address the constitutional matter that may bring his leadership to disrepute.
Dr Gololo made this passionate appeal Monday, in Abuja while briefing journalists on National issues.
The APC chieftain observed that apart from the expiration of the tenure of both helms men, that the choices of both NIMASA and NPA bosses were wrongly conceived abnitio with the aid of political God fathers, which lacks merit.
Dr Gololo, said: “People should know that a lot of things are going wrong in NIMASA and NPA and needs to be corrected and to make matter worse, the Minister of Maritime and blue Economy, has looked away from correcting the anomalies like Festus Kyamo did to sanitize Aviation sector. We have lots of information about both of them and we have no choice than to suggest their sack immediately. In the first instance, only Jamoh grew from the Maritime system but was far from a junior staff member, before he was picked. The office he was appointed to handle, supposed to be handled by experienced people who have good backgrounds in maritime business. We knew when Jamoh, was brought in by his In- law Mr Tunde who was a former spokes person to former President Mohammadu Buhari to NIMASA and we can also say unequivocally that former Minister of transportation brought in Mohammed Koko Bello from Port Harcourt while he was working in a bank. So Mohammed Koko was made Assistant Director Finance in NPA. After that he was made Ag MD when Adisa Bala Usman had issues in NPA, and remains in acting capacity till today. So Koko was never a staff of NPA and with little or no experience of how Ports are managed.”
The former Army general, further, stated that his appeal to Mr President, is to ensure that the ruling party delivers all round Democratic dividends to the people, stating that the NPA boss’s continued stay in office in acting capacity is an Afront to the government of Nigeria and undermining the capacity of the ruling party.
“The question is, how can some one be in acting capacity for four years and counting. Which country does this kind of thing happen. Secondly, I challenge both NIMASA MD, Ibrahim Jamoh and Mohammed Koko Bello of NPA,in a world press conference to let the entire world know what they have done to transform the Maritime sector. Please let them assemble journalists to read their scorecards. I know they have nothing to show and my advice to Mr President, is to sack these people and bring in fresh hands who are conversant with the Maritime Administration to empower the economy.
“I also told him that we need to professionalize the sector, and ensure that those who manage the sector and its agencies are people who grow from the ranks not using the agencies to favour political jobbers, who knows nothing about the industry. They are not only Nigerians, besides none of them attended Maritime University or it’s equivalent either within or outside Nigeria. I wish also to remind Mr President that by implications that the act that established NIMASA and NPA does not allow non professionals to head the agencies. We won’t want these people to continue to lavish little resources we have in this country to themselves. And we also call on Mr President to ensure that these people do not spend Christmas as NIMASA and NPA MDs. And by so doing, we should be starting 2024 in a clean slate with new and preferred good hands.”
He advised that should his call for the sack of the duo fail before the Christmas celebration, that Nigerians would be gathering at the unity fountain in protest to press home its demands.
“I mean what I am saying, these people need to be shown the way out before this year runs out or we are going to mobilize from the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT to show our grievances. This country belongs to all of us and we won’t fold our arms and see tax payers money wasted in that manner.”
Meanwhile, the APC chieftain has showered praises on the FCT Minister Barrister Nyesom Wike on his ability to transform the FCT within the short period he was appointed. He said that his ability to turn the face of Nigerian Capital City, has justified that his appointment was not a mistake.
He stressed that those against Nyesom Wike’s appointment as a non member of the ruling party should bury themselves in shame with what is going on in the FCT currently.
“I can say this again and again. I believe in merit. And I think that Nigeria should do well as a Nation, if we adhere to the rule of merit. I was among those who stood their ground that Wike should be appointed as Minister in this administration owing to the support he gave to the party during elections. He delivered his state to the party, even when he was not a member of APC. But I keep asking questions, how about those who are party members, what have they done to justify their claims. As a Fulani man I can tell you without fear or favour that another Fulani man was a Minister a Minister of FCT for 8 years before Wike but people could not felt his impact. So why do people want me to keep praising mediocrity.”
Commenting on the political wrangling in Rivers state, he faulted those calling the court to declare vacant 27 seats of the members of state Assembly members, saying that the members were duly elected by the people they are representing and can only be recalled by them if they wish.
He reminded that a similar incident happened during the time of Bukola Saraki as the Senate President, who defected to the PDP, after being elected the Senate President under APC.
He opined that Governor Simi Fubara should as a matter of fact apologize to his predecessor and give peace a chance.
“You see the worst thing that can happen to politicians is to stab a man who held the ladder for you. Like I am now, I cannot betray President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is a Yoruba man. For 8 years as a Fula I mean I rooted for former Fulani man Mohammadu Buhari as the president of Nigeria. I spent my personal money during the political campaign but nothing to show for it. So I shall remain grateful to Tinubu. We knew how Wike and Fubara started and what led to what and that is why we said that Fubara has gone too far.”
