Supporters of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso have called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, and national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to prevail on Governor Abdullahi Ganduje not to recall indigenous students studying abroad on scholarship, The Nation reports.
Reports are rife that the state is planning to recall the students, who were sent abroad on scholarship by the government of Senator Kwankwaso.
But his supporters, under the auspices of Southern Mandate of Nigeria (SMN), said the government’s decision was targeted at the Senator, adding that the move was being sponsored by “political urban guerrillas” who see Kwankwaso as a threat in the 2019 election.
The group’s National Coordinator Comrade Ikonomwan Francis, in a statement yesterday, said the government’s decision was shocking and disheartening.
The statement reads: “It has come to our knowledge that the governor has perfected his plans to repatriate students who are on scholarship home and abroad. This act is shocking and disheartening.
“Former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso offered scholarship to the youths to study relevant courses which would enhance human capital development in the state.
“Members of Southern Mandate of Nigeria (SMN) are surprised at the motive behind Ganduje asking that the students be repatriated without considering the effect of this inhuman decision, even at this critical moment of our national development.
“It should be on record that Ganduje was part of the decision to sponsor these students. Kano State is highly populated but educationally deficient in some key professional areas like Medicine, Nursing, and Aeronautic Engineering etc.
“Having observed these lapses, Kwankwaso decided to develop these key areas by sponsoring youths abroad, a decision that was accepted and applauded locally and internationally.
“We view it as barbaric and cynical, that such gigantic project is about to be cut short to score cheap political points. It is worthy of mention that the Kano State government has invested so much in these students in the last three years, and they, on their part, have invested their time and energy to succeed.
“We know Ganduje is being sponsored by some political guerrillas who see Kwankwaso as a major threat in the 2019 election. They, however, fail to realise that Kwankwaso can never be intimidated by his political foes.
“We call on Acting President Yemi Osibanjo and the national, leadership of the APC to call Governor Ganduje to order, otherwise the devastating effect of the visceral on Kano State and the students alike will be unquantifiable.”
As at last night, Commissioner for Information Mohammed Garba could not be reached to confirm the reported plans by the government to recall the students.
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