By Akinwale Kasali
President Muhammadu Buhari has come under criticism over his nominee for the top job at the National Pension Commission, Pencom.
Buhari’s choice, Hannatu Musa Musawa, according to a petition by a Group, has no National Youth Service Certificate, NYSC.
According to the group from the North West zone called “League of Concerned Indigenes of the States In North West Zone”, it felt scandalized by her appointment. It has, therefore written a petition to the Senate to stop her confirmation on the grounds that she does not possess the NYSC Certificate.
The group apparently dug into her past, and addressed the petition to Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, Chairman of the Senate Committee that oversights PenCom.
The petition dated 7th October, was signed by Comrade Musa Argungu who resides in Birnin Kebbi. Part of the petition obtained reads:
“In fact, we are very surprised that the list of the people nominated by President Buhari for the Pencom includes Hannatu Musa Musawa. Everybody knows that she didn’t attend NYSC after her degree in UK. That is why she never worked for the Government since she come back from her studies. The Committee should critically analyze her CV and even if she submits any NYSC certificate, it is fake. This is against the NYSC Act.
“We know that many things are hidden from the President. That is why some godfathers proposed her name to him for the Pencom job even though she doesn’t have NYSC Certificate. That is how even after confirmation she will be disqualified and forced to resign or blackmailed to compromise standards for fear of discovery. This is how the former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi was forced to resign because she did not go for NYSC after graduation from UK. We believe that this mistake can be checkmated by your Senate Committee…”
Alhaji Musa Musawa, Hannatu’s father is a familiar name in political circles in Kano and Katsina States where he bestrodes like a colossus.
He was a juggernaut of the defunct Peoples Redemption Party led by the late Aminu Kano, and boasts of connections in high places.
Thus, it was not surprising that she was nominated by President Buhari to the board of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) as a commissioner to represent North West.
But unlike her father whose patriotic zeal for Nigeria could not be faulted, Hanney, as she is fondly called, allegedly now has question marks based on the petition.
Hannatu studied law at the University of Buckingham, UK, took a Postgraduate Masters Degree in the Legal Aspects of Marine Affairs a Postgraduate Masters Degree in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
The group pleaded with the Senate Committee to “investigate the matter and save the nation from the shame of confirming Hannatu Musawa only to be disgraced later by resigning forcefully.”
“Hannatu had remained in active legal practice since her return to the country, and while she is said to have represented government agencies in some legal matters, she has never held a full time government job, the Group alleged.
“This, also, explains why she had been active politically on human rights and women rights issues. She even took a shot at elective political office in 2011 when she contested for the Federal House of Representatives legislative seat in her home state of Katsina”.
