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Breaking: Garba Shehu Details How Amaechi Influenced Buhari To Oust NPA Boss Hadiza Usman
Former presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu has revealed that the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari approved the removal of Hadiza Bala Usman as Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), despite their close personal relationship, acting on the recommendation of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Shehu made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja while discussing his new book, According to the President, which chronicles Buhari’s leadership style, policy priorities, and approach to governance.
The NPA was among the agencies overseen by Amaechi during his tenure as Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2022.
According to Shehu, Amaechi recommended Bala Usman’s suspension over allegations that the NPA, under her leadership, failed to remit approximately ₦165 billion in operating surplus to the Federal Government. Although Bala Usman was later cleared by an administrative panel of inquiry set up to investigate the allegations, Shehu said Buhari acted decisively at the time based on the minister’s advice.
“See what happened with Hadiza Bala Usman and Governor Amaechi,” Shehu said. “Hadiza was to Buhari like a daughter. But she had ongoing disagreements with the minister. The minister wrote to say, ‘Mr. President, I recommend that she should be suspended from office.’”
Shehu added that despite objections from some within the Presidency, Buhari insisted on implementing the recommendation.
“When the President looked at it, the Chief of Staff came to him and said, ‘President, we can’t do this,’” Shehu recounted. “Buhari looked at the Chief of Staff and said, ‘This is my approval. Go and carry it out because the minister is her supervising boss and he has determined that she’s not worthy of that office she’s keeping.’”
“Hadiza Bala was asked to go. That’s the kind of person Buhari was. He was completely detached from personal interest,” Shehu emphasized.
Bala Usman’s Account
In her memoir, Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority, Bala Usman offered a different perspective, alleging that Amaechi sought her removal because two major NPA contracts were due for renewal. She claimed the former minister demanded extensions of the capital dredging contracts without proper procedure, an allegation Amaechi has denied.
Bala Usman, who now serves as Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination, was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing by the administrative panel of inquiry.
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