Maryam Shetty’s Replacement: Blame Social Media Not Me – Ganduje

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, says social media outrage and not him should be blamed for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to unceremoniously drop Maryam Shetty as a ministerial nominee from Kano State.

The immediate past Kano Governor made the remarks while clarifying the controversy surrounding the replacement of Shetty with Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure who served as a Commissioner for Higher Education under his administration.

Speaking in an interview with select radio stations in Kano on Saturday, Dr Ganduje pointedly acknowledged that the social media outrage that trailed Shetty’s appointment led to her removal, adding that social media is very powerful.

The APC National Chairman, in exonerating himself from President Tinubu’s decision to suddenly withdraw the nominee’s name from the ministerial list, said; “The president has advisors on the selection of ministerial nominees at the national and state levels. The president has the prerogative to nominate whomever he wishes and he has the right to consult people in states because they know those capable of discharging the duties.

“Maryam Shetty’s name emerged from the top, and since Mr President has the right to do as he wishes and we are his followers, one has to be patient; we did not object to it. As well, she was not well-known to us. We could not appraise her.

“But suddenly she (Maryam Shetty) came under attack on social media. People questioned her integrity and experience, with many of them doubting her credentials to represent Kano at the national level. There were growing disaffections. The dissatisfaction is not from Ganduje, but the people of Kano.

“President Bola Tinubu’s attention was drawn to the torrent of criticisms greeting Shetty’s nomination. The President asked whether I had nominated Mary Shetty. I said no. He asked how then her name appeared on the list. I told him I had no idea whatsoever.”

However, further explaining his role and intervention in the development, Ganduje said; “When he (Tinubu) asked whether there was a need to replace her, I answered in affirmative, because the ministerial slot requires someone with integrity, knowledge, experience, and commitment to the party – what one contributed to the making of the Tinubu administration. To satisfy these requirements, we are in the best position to nominate somebody from Kano. Even if someone recommended somebody, we should have been consulted on the matter.

“For this, we were given a chance to nominate someone from Kano and since the slot was meant for a female, we consulted widely. Females have contributed to our development agenda in Kano State. Dr Mariya Bunkure, my commissioner for higher education, is a certified medical doctor. Kano South had been complaining about marginalization, even though I gave them SSG and other important political offices. These are some of the reasons we gave her name.”

The APC National Chairman, who expressed no regrets in having Shetty’s name dropped, said; “But at least we are happy because the people of Kano are happy with the current development. The clarification is not to insult anybody but to tell the truth about what exactly happened. People questioned her suitability which was why she was dropped, but that does not mean she will not get another appointment.”

Amid the clarifications by Alhaji Ganduje, insiders hinted that there could be no denying the fact that he (Ganduje) may not have forgiven Maryam Shettima, otherwise known as Maryam Shetty, for dragging him on Social media posts made in the wake of journalist Jafar Jafar’s release of videos in 2018, purportedly showing Ganduje accepting stacks of dollar bills in what was portrayed as bribe payments from contractors.

Reports said exhumed Facebook posts from three years ago indicating 33-year-old Maryam Shetty criticising the former Governor may have been her undoing and last-minute exit from the ministerial list as a nominee. Dated March 9, 2020, the controversial post had Shetty castigating Ganduje for his alleged involvement in bribery scandals.

It was gathered that ‘Shetty’, who arrived at the Senate awaiting to be screened when the news of her removal broke out, may have been haunted by the three-year-old social media rant against Ganduje and the likely reason he allegedly rejected her nomination as a Minister.