A Special Adviser on Media to Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje is facing fire over his criticism of President Buhari for not addressing Nigerians despite the nationwide protest demanding the disbandment of SARS.
Salihu Yakasai had in his Twitter handle on Saturday wrote “I’ve never seen a govt with zero emphaty like that of @MBuhari. So many times when his people are going through a difficult time & expect some sort of tap on shoulder to reassure them that he is in charge, but he failed to do so. The ‘i don’t care attitude ‘ is on another level.
“To speak to ur own ppl over issues that are bedevilling them has become something like a favour u’re doing to them. Over & over again, u cannot spare 5mins & address the nation to calm them down, the same people u went to the 36 states to beg for their votes, its heartbreaking.”
In a statement released this evening, the Kano State Government suspended Yakassai, describing his comments as “unguarded utterances”. The statement adds that his suspension was with immediate effect.
The statement entitled ‘Ganduje Suspends Media Aide Over Attack On Buhari’ and signed by the Commissioner for Information, Muhammed Garba, reads in part “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has suspended his Special Adviser on Media, Salihu Tanko Yakasai over some unguarded utterances on the person of President Muhammadu Buhari on the social media platform.
The state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who conveyed the governor’s directive in a statement this afternoon, said the suspension is with immediate effect.
He said that though the media aide has own up the indiscreet comment as his personal opinion, but that as a public figure, it will be difficult to differentiate between personal opinion and official stand on matters of public concern.
The governor, therefore, warned political appointees and public servants to guard against making statements capable of drawing unnecessary controversy and heating up the polity.”