PETITION AGAINST THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. MAHMUD SANUSI MOHAMMED AS MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE UPPER BENUE RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY YOLA.

By Ibrahim Abubakar Yola

We, the undersigned, respec=ully submit this peBBon to express our strong objecBon to the appointment of Mr. Mahmud Sanusi Mohammed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority Yola.

We are deeply disturbed by the recent appointment of Mr. Mahmud Sanusi Mohammed to lead the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, Yoa. This decision is not only a slap in the face to the Northern people but also a naBona embarrassment. We urge President Bola Tinubu to reconsider this appointment, especially since the agency operates in Mallam Nuhu Ribadu NSA's state.

Comrade Kabiru Nasiru Khalid stated this in a statement behelf of APMN made available to Newsmen.

We urgently appeal to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser, to intervene in this maQer. As Northerners, we won't tolerate the destruction of our region through the appointment of inexperienced and unqualified individuals. What's their agenda? Therecent dam collapse in Borno State, which claimed lives and properties, 

highights the need for proactive leadership.We urgently call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Council for the RegulaBon of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), and Northern Elders to intervene in this critical maQer. We appeal to these esteemed organizations toimpore the President to reconsider the appointment of an unqualified and inexperienced individual to head a vital engineering agency.

The current Managing Director's lack of experese and background in engineering poses significant risks to Nigeria's workforce and services. Allowing someone without prior experience in public office or senior management to lead an engineering organizaBoncan have devastaBng consequences.

This appointment is particularly alarming, considering the stringent requirements for engineering professionals in Nigeria. For instance, COREN requires engineers to have accredited qualificaBons, pass professional exams, and meet specific experience criteria ¹. Similarly, the Nigerian Society of Engineers has rigorous membership requirements, including academic qualificaBons, pracBcal experience, and ongoing professiona development.

We cannot afford to compromise on the leadership of criBcal organizaBons, especially when it comes to engineering and public services. The judiciary and medical fields, such as teaching hospitals, adhere to strict standards and protocols to ensure competence and accountability.

As a professional organizaBon with experienced personnel, the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority requires a highly competent water engineer to lead. Mr. Mohammed's lack of qualificaBons and engineering experBse makes him unsuitable for this criBcal role.

The President's agenda for food security hinges on effective leadership of agencies like this one. We need a water engineer who can drive progress and achieve results.

We appeal to the President to reverse this appointment and prioritize a transparent, merit-based recruitment process to select a qualified candidate. 

The nation's food security and the credibility of the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority dependon it.