Quote:By Sani Tukur


The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has disowned the statement issued by a Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters announcing the appointment of a former Borno governor, Ali Sheriff, as the Director-General of Buhari 2019 Presidential Support Committee.

The aide, Gideon Sammani, on Friday announced that Mr Sheriff would lead a 35-member body, as well as a 10-member National Advisory Committee and a five-member national patrons with Mr Buhari as the grand patron.

The committee is different from Buhari Campaign Organisation, which recently appointed the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as its Director-General and lawyer Festus Keyamo as the spokesperson and director for communications.

A popular Kano musician, Dauda Rarara, was also appointed national director for music, while a Nollywood actor and Lagos lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, was named the national publicity secretary.

The chief of staff to the Imo State governor and governorship aspirant of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Nwosu, was named the national secretary.

However, the OSGF, on Saturday asked Nigerians to disregard the announcement by Mr Sammani.

A release issued by the spokesperson of the SGF, Lawrence Ojabo, said “the attention of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been drawn to documents in circulation in print and social media purportedly issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters in the Presidency as public notice, announcing the names of certain individuals and appointing them into different roles under the BUHARI 2019 PRESIDENTIAL SUPPORT COMMITTEE, as well as soliciting for support”.

Mr Ojabo said “it has become imperative to clarify to all Nigerians and in particular to APC members that the said documents are unauthorised, misleading and should therefore be totally disregarded”.

The SGF spokesperson said appropriate “administrative measures are being put in place to ensure that such lapse does not recur in future”.