Kano group: Those who see Inuwa Waya as a threat sponsoring false reports against him

The Kano Youth Support Group (KYSG) says those envious of the rising profile of Inuwa Waya, managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Shipping, are plotting to smear his reputation.

In a statement, Balarebe Jeje, the group’s chairman, said while Waya has not indicated interest in joining the race to succeed Abdullahi Ganduje, the incumbent governor, some politicians are already “riled by his personality which puts him in a good position to contest for the coveted office”.

He alleged that their quest to “eliminate” Waya who they consider a threat to their ambition, informed  their “sponsorship” of phantom stories against him.

“The grand plan is to intimidate, harass and totally browbeat the NNPC chieftain out of contention or reckoning as the race to 2023 draws closer,” he said.

“They know that Waya is a good material, they know that he has what it takes to perform based on verifiable track record in public service but they don’t want him to come close to making such contemplation to run.”

The KYSG chairman enjoined residents of the state to discard media attacks which he described as baseless.

Jeje warned those peddling falsehood against the NNPC chieftain, saying Waya enjoys goodwill among locals and elites of Kano.

“People must understand that the laws of defamation and character assassination put a heavy legal burden on individuals making frivolous and false accusations,” he said.

“The cardinal principle of law is that he who alleges must prove. Punitive and exemplary damages are remedies in court in cases of defamation.”