President Jonathan Sacks Youth Development Minister, Inuwa Abdulkadir

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday sacked the Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir from his cabinet.

A statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, did not give reasons for the sudden termination of Abdulkadir's appointment.

The statement relieving the minister of his appointment, was signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the SGF, Mr. Sam Nwaobasi, which directed him to hand over to the Permanent Secretary in his office with immediate effect.

The statement said, "His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR President and Commander -in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria has relieved Inuwa Abdul-kadir, Esq of his appointment as Honourable Minister of Youth Development with effect from the 26th of August, 2013.

"The former Minister is to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

"Mr. President expresses appreciation to the Former Minister for the time he put in the services of the nations and wishes him success in his future endeavours," the statement said.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday confirmed that his decision to sack his erstwhile Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir, was based on the latter’s mishandling of the National Youth Council of Nigeria’s elections in Makurdi and Minna which resulted in the factionalisation of the council.

THE PUNCH had reported  that investigations showed that the minister must have been sacked on Monday among other reasons because of the allegation of imposition of a candidate at a recent election of the NYCN.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said he was “very displeased” by the former minister’s action.

“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 NYCN.’

“We wish to assure the general public that nothing could be farther 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.

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. The Prresident 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 factionalisation of the youth council. The President found the ministry’s failure to provide appropriate leadership towards open and transparent youth council elections unacceptable.”