News Express was 100 per cent correct when it reported Tuesday that Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir was sacked as Minister of Youth Development because of his role in engineering the crisis tearing apart the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).

While several other media had attributed Abdulkadir’s fate to politics, News Express had reported as follws: “Although no reason was given for the action, News Express learnt that it might not be unconnected with Abdul-kadir’s alleged engineering of a crisis in the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), which led to a campaign for his ouster by embittered henchmen of the Council.”

News Express became vindicated yesterday when the Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Dr. Reuben Abati, issued a statement in which he gave the reason for Abdulkadir’s ouster. The statement entitled “President Jonathan Had No Preferred Candidate In Youth Council Elections” reads as follows:

‘We have noted with regret the several false speculations in the media yesterday on the reason for the termination of the appointment of the former Minister of Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir by President Goodluck Jonathan.

‘While many media outlets erroneously attributed the Minister’s sacking to his disloyalty or closeness to a particular governor or governors said to be opposed to the President, the most disingenuous and malicious speculation was by a national newspaper which claimed that Alhaji Abdulkadir was fired for “failing to ensure that a Pro-Jonathan candidate emerged as president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN)”.

‘We wish to assure the general public that nothing could be further from the truth. President Jonathan regards all Nigerian youth as his wards and constituents. Claims that he had a preferred candidate in the NYCN elections are completely baseless and without justification as there was absolutely no reason for him to prefer one candidate over others.

‘President Jonathan remains sincerely and unwaveringly committed to doing all within his powers to promote the credibility and integrity of the electoral process at all levels in the country.

‘He firmly believes that a culture of free, fair and credible election must be constantly nurtured and encouraged amongst Nigerian youth and all other sections of the country.

‘In point of fact, it was Alhaji Abdulkadir’s regrettable deviation from this presidential commitment in the management of the NYCN elections that led to the decision to relieve him of his appointment as Minister of Youth Development.

‘President Jonathan was very displeased with the mishandling of the NYCN elections in Makurdi and Minna by the Ministry of Youth Development which resulted in the unfortunate fractionalization of the youth council.

‘The President found the Ministry’s failure to provide appropriate leadership towards open and transparent youth council elections unacceptable.

‘President Jonathan is sincerely committed to doing everything possible to ensure that the Nigerian youth, on whom the country’s aspirations for a bright and prosperous future depend, are given the best possible upbringing and orientation.

‘The President therefore expects all officials of his administration to exhibit greater rectitude and sensitivity on issues related to youth development, and comport themselves at all times in a manner worthy of emulation by Nigerian youth.’

•Photo shows ex-minister Abdulkadir.

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