Govt, group bicker over ‘cancellation’ of Jigawa @30 lecture

Jigawa state government has debunked the allegation made against it by a group known as “The New World Youth Initiative” which planned to hold Jigawa at 30 Anniversary Lecture in Dutse.

The state government explained that it did not stop any group from holding anniversary lecture in Dutse.

Rather, it said due process was not followed in obtaining permission to hold the occasion at the government’s facility.

The New World Initiative had in a statement claimed the state government cancelled the anniversary lecture where a former Minister of state for Foreign Affairs, Dr Nurudden Muhammed was billed to speak.

In the statement, the group said, “there was a loud and widespread outrage in Jigawa State to protest the cancellation of a public lecture organised by a youths’ group, “The New World Youths Initiative” on Thursday, the 26th of August, 2021 in the State’s capital, Dutse, to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of the State out of the old Kano State on the 27th of August, 1991.”

The release added that “among those to speak at the event were Dr Nuruddeen Muhammed, a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Information under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Mr Bala Usman Chamo, the current council chairman of Dutse LGA and Mr Babangida Usman, who is also the Walin Kazaure and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works.”

Debunking the group’s position in a statement, the Public Relations Officer to the Head of Service, Comrade Ismaila Ibrahim Dutse said there was no formal request made by “The New World Youth Initiatve” to hold the lecture at “Ahmadu Bello Hall at the state secretariat”.

“The organizers came a day to their proposed Anniversary Lecture, on Wednesday August 25, 2021 asking me to release Amadu Bello Hall to them to hold the event on Thursday August 26, 2021, but I refused to release the Hall to them because it is a government property, they have to apply formerly. Otherwise they should have gone to Tahir Guest Palace or 3Star Hotel to hold their lecture, nobody could have stopped them,” the statement said.