VP Shettima claims that those who are against moving the FAAN and CBN departments to Lagos are miscreants.

By Deji Elumoye and Ibrahim Oyewale

Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has faulted the position of those opposing the federal government’s decision to relocate some departments and units of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos, describing them as mischief makers.

Shettima, who spoke on Saturday as a Special Guest of Honour at the 10th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture and Merit Awards in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, said the relocation was in the interest of Nigerians.

Speaking in Maiduguri, the vice president said President Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ would not make any policy or decision to be sectional, or at the detriment of some geographical location of the country.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the vice president said the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto of blessed memory lived a worthy life of emulation for the betterment of the North and the country as a whole.

Speaking on the theme: ‘Creating Pathways for Peace: Tackling Banditry and Insurgency through Good Governance for Sustainable Development in Nigeria’, Shettima commended the members of the Foundation for not only choosing Borno State as the venue for the lecture, but also for the theme, which he said, is apt and timely, given the numerous security challenges affecting the state, the North-east, and the country in general.

He said: “The event, in line with President Tinubu’s vision, has brought about many critical stakeholders, including traditional rulers to collectively brainstorm and chart a new way forward in bringing lasting solutions to end insecurity, banditry, kidnapping, poverty, corruption and all other social vices in the region and the nation in general.

“Recently, there were those opposing the federal government’s decision over the planned relocation of some departments and units of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos. I want to reassure the people of the North that the move is in the interest of the generality of Nigerians.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ would not make any policy or decision that would be sectional, or at the detriment of some geographical location of the nation; therefore, those opposing the relocation process of some of the departments should desist, or else they are acting as mischief makers,” Shettima stated.

In his speech, the Chairman, Board of Trustee of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, and former governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, said, the gathering was to commemorate the significant milestone and enduring legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello, whose vision and leadership continue to inspire northerners in their quest for a better Nigeria.

The Guest Speaker, Professor Tijjani Mohammed Banded, whose paper dwelled extensively on tackling insecurity through good governance, suggested that “for the North to have sustainable development, all hands must be on deck with those in government to rebuild trust and work for peacebuilding, provision of quality education, modernisation of agriculture, building infrastructures, rebuilding civil service and building credible media.”

The Chairman of the occasion, Gombe State Governor, who is also the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, Inuwa Yahaya, said the Foundation, since inception, has played a greater role in creating peace, unity and progress’ amongst Nigerians, describing these as some of the legacies of late Sir Ahmadu Bello.

He promised that the 19 state governors would continue to support the sustainability of the Foundation.

Also, the Chief Hosts, Governor Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, Dr Abubakar Ibn-Umar Garbai Al Amin El-Kanemi commended the organisers for choosing Borno as the venue, pointing out that it would accord the people an opportunity to proffer lasting solutions to the insecurity and poverty ravaging the state and the entire North.