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BY INUSA NDAHI, MAIDUGURI
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army and Senator Representing Southern Borno at the National Assembly, Mohammed Ndume has denied media report credited to him, which claimed that, ‘he called for the decentralization of the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB)’.
He said, it is surprising to see that having made concerted efforts and personally sponsored the Bill for the establishment of such very important institution, which was cited in Biu local Government Area of his constituency, will later call for its decentralization, knowing fully well that he is one of the frontline lobbyists to ensure that NAUB has come to stay.
Reports in some traditional and new media indicated or rather misquoted the Senator that he urged the Nigerian Army and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to consider decentralization of the institution at a public hearing on the establishment of the institution in Abuja.
But reacting to the reports which went viral on some social media platforms, Senator Ndume said, although in Public Hearing, everyone who attends is at liberty to express his/her opinion on related issues, insisting that it was one of his colleagues from the southern East Region who made the statement calling for decentralization of NAUB.
His words: ” I have to distance myself from the statement credited to me in some media platforms that I called for decentralization of NAUB during a public hearing.
“I never suggested that and I didn’t say so. So don’t mind the mischief makers.
“Remember I am the sponsor of the bill. If I wanted that I would have included it in the initial bill. It was the Senator from Anambra who canvased for the decentralization and the NUC representative present said that is not possible.
“That was her opinion and she is entitled to it at such occasion. Nobody can change the fact that I sponsored the bill for the establishment of the university which is a necessary legislative requirement that will give it legal backing.
“What will I gain from the decentralization? Mischief makers will always see good things negatively. Let us pray for the successful completion of the legislative process. May Allah guide to the right path”. Ndume clarified.
He also said that he will never be blackmailed by posts from the Social Media, especially Facebook, as he was not reelected to represent the zone by Facebook, rather a collective mandate from the electorates.
Ndume however vowed that, no matter the handiwork of mischief makers against him, he will not be deterred, as it will only motivates him to continue pursue and sponsor the Bills before the national assembly for the creation of federal polytechnic Marama, Hawul Local government Area and other tertiary institutions to be cited in his constituency.