Gravitas Group noted that the appointment of Halilu, the brother of First Lady Aisha Buhari, as MD of NSPMC, is worrisome.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Gravitas Group has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of his brother-in-law Ahmed Halilu as the substantive Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) Plc.
The international advocacy organisation for good governance, accountability and transparency said in a press statement signed by its communication director, Professor Olugbenga Ayeni; and convener, Tola Adeniyi, and released on Sunday that although the appointment was not shocking, it is still condemnable.
The statement said, “Our attention has just been drawn to another act of gross insensitivity and crass disregard for the mores of a decent society recently unleashed on Nigeria, a country in the throes of death, by its maximum ruler retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari.
“It was not much of a shocking news, because nothing shocks Nigerians anymore, that Buhari has appointed his wife’s brother Ahmed Halilu as the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Printing and Minting Company Plc.; the body entrusted with most sacred and supremely confidential materials in the land.”
Halilu was confirmed as the substantive head of the agency following the recommendation of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, who serves as the NSPMC board chairman.
Gravitas noted in its statement, “It will be recalled that Godwin Emefiele the man allegedly planted in the Central Bank by a late Influencer, an unpretentious Caliphate stalwart and Buhari’s in-law, to empty the national treasury and ruin the national currency, the Naira, has excellently succeeded in his inglorious assignment. And to rub insult on the open sore, Mr. President, the unquestionable ruler of Nigeria has decided to complete the cycle by bringing the country’s Mint to his bedroom.”
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Buhari appoints First Lady’s brother Ahmed Halilu NSPMC MD
Gravitas Group noted that the appointment of Halilu, the brother of First Lady Aisha Buhari, as MD of NSPMC, is worrisome as he will be superintending over the printing of all sensitive materials in the land.
“Under his watch and dictate, passports, currency notes, ballot papers and other sensitive election materials as well as classified documents can now be printed at the whim and caprices and dashed to whoever, whenever and wherever as exigencies of cloudy political scheming demand.
“We, at the Gravitas Group for Good Governance strongly condemn this slap on the face of all that is decent and honourable and invite the International Community represented in this unfortunate country by Ambassadors, High Commissioners and International Agencies to add this act of impunity to the list of shenanigans heaped on Nigerians by the current authoritarian government headed by Major-General Buhari for the day of reckoning,” Gravitas said.
The group noted that it will be a waste of time asking President Buhari to rescind the appointment of Halilu.
“Nevertheless, let our cry of disapproval get registered so that in the fullness of time justice would be served.
“By the way, is Nigeria’s National Assembly dead? What has happened to Civil Society Organizations? And will someone wake up the Council of State members?” Asked Gravitas.