Gombe Elders Forum (GEF) in Gombe state has risen against one of them, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, who is currently the special adviser on political affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan. The elders have asked the President to sack him as he is no longer representing their interest well.
In a statement today signed by its secretary general, Alhaji Idris Musa Ahmed, the Gombe Elders’ Forum said that they have watched with keen interest the activities of all sons and daughters of Gombe state and the Northeast geo-political zone holding various political offices at the federal and state levels under the current dispensation.
“While we are pleased with the performance of many of the citizens of our state who have continued to make our people proud in their respective areas of stewardship at the national and state levels, we are however constrained to place on record that we cannot, with every sense of responsibility, say the same of the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali.
“In truth, we are appalled that as a Presidential aide occupying the slot of Gombe state and the Northeast geo-political zone, Prof. Alkali has proven to be incompetent, a poor representation and an apology of our cherished values of honesty, forthrightness and dedication to duty.
“Instead of striving to make meaningful impact in his assignment like others from the zone, Prof. Alkali has sold himself to avarice and lust, seeking cheap financial gains to the disappointment of the entire people of Gombe state and the Northeast geo-political zone.”
The Forum alleged that while other federal appointees use their offices and goodwill to propagate the development and unity of their states, Professor Alkali has focused on his parochial interests for which he has been organizing clandestine meetings in Abuja and Gombe to undermine the support Governor Dankwambo enjoys so as to present himself as the force to reckon with in Gombe state and the Northeast zone ahead of the 2015 general elections.
“Professor Alkali has no political value in Gombe and the Northeast. He is now exploring every means, no matter how reprehensible, to get undue political recognition instead of making efforts to improve himself in his job.
“We have noted that since his appointment as the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Prof. Alkali has, either due to crass incompetence or heinous sabotage, refused to defend the President in the face of ceaseless onslaughts and attacks on his person and office by his detractors.
“Alkali has never defended any policy or action of the President, especially the steps he has been taking to end insurgency, particularly in the North east. He has refused to meaningfully add his voice against the scourge.
“We are witnesses to the vigour and commitment with which other Special Advisers to the President on Political Matters before him carried out their duties. Alkali’s lethargic attitude to his assignment is therefore totally unacceptable to us and heavily smacks of sabotage.
“We therefore urge President Jonathan to watch his back. He has a man who cannot be trusted. A man engaged in sabotaging the National Chairman of his party, the PDP by sponsoring lies against him in a subversive move to cause confusion in the party, pull the National Chairman down and possibly take over his position, a scheme which is not only shameful but also wicked.
“Prof. Alkali has shown that he is not only incompetent but also cannot be trusted. Consequently, the Gombe Elders’ Forum completely dissociates from him and forthwith withdraws every support for him. We do this in the general interest of the good people of Gombe state and the Northeast in general.
“We can no longer continue to support a man who we cannot trust and who always fails in assignments given to him. He failed woefully as the National Publicity Secretary of his party and has now failed as the Special Adviser to The President.
“Finally, we wish to use this opportunity to restate our support for President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo and all well-meaning sons and daughters of Gombe state and the Northeast serving dutifully at the national and state levels.”
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