Former deputy governor of Nasarawa State, Silas Agara, who had been nominated as the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), has been substituted.
President Buhari had in two separate letters dated March 20 and August 12, 2020, nominated Agara, to head the commission.
The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, revealed that the virtual meeting of National Council of State, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday ratified the appointment of the chairman and members of the commission without naming them.
However, a document circulated at the end of the briefing of State House correspondents showed Agara’s name as chairman.
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It also named the members as Muhammed Chuso A. Dottijo, (Sokoto); Alhaji Razaq Gidado, (Kwara); Ibrahim Mohammed, (Bauchi); Joseph Kwai Shazin, (FCT); Engineer Bala Almu Banya, (Katsina); and Mrs Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, (Lagos).
But it emerged later on Thursday night that Nasiru Isa Kwarra was infact the one appointed as the chairman of the commission and ratified by council.
The ratification followed media reports that pressure had been put on President Buhari to substitute Agara allegedly because he is a Christian.
Recall that the Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule had denied a media report that he joined forces with the chief of staff to President Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Gambari to stop the appointment of Agara as chairman NPC.
It is not clear whether Agara remains a member of the commission.
When Tribune Online contacted the SGF to inquire whether the president succumbed to pressure to remove Agara on account of his faith, he said there was no pressure, adding that it was the prerogative of the president to make appointments.
“There was no pressure. The power of the president to appoint cannot be disputed. The president appointed members, he presented them to the council and they were approved,” he said
