'National Orientation Agency sabotaged President,' Garba Shehu says

chika ebuzor

March 28, 2016 12:56 AM

Shehu said this while announcing the President’s decision to embark on zonal town hall meetings with Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari

The Senior Special Assistant to

He said “We have an agency like NOA with 773 offices nationwide.

“Each has not less than 5 to 7 staffs and well-equipped, but you know also, sometimes democracy has its own dark side.

“The President came and he wanted to really be fair to every Chief Executive. If he wanted to fire people on assumption (of office), he would have done it and he would not have violated any rule.

“He decided to give everyone a chance to see whether they would imbibe the change mantra, to see whether they were prepared to go along (with him)."

He said “I will say with all sincerity that NOA was a source of worry for us in government; the people and the leadership never believed in what we are doing.

“They never believed in change. They just folded their arms and watched us for the period of 8 to 9 months that they were there.

“I believe the new leadership would begin to formulate things for agencies like that.”

Speaking on the town hall meetings, Shehu said Buhari decided to hold zonal town hall meetings with Nigerians, to keep them abreast of the government’s activities.

He said “I know that there is a plan that the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo would start town hall meetings in zones.

“It would then be broken down to the states and so on.

“Government realises that there is a need to take information to the people and there are steps that are being taken in order to ensure that is done.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly began making moves to woo the national leader of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in other to secure a second term ticket.

chika ebuzor