Senior Advocate of Nigeria Yusuf Ali has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s reinstatement of the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf. Yusuf was suspended by the minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in July, 2017, over allegations of fraud. But the president recalled him on Wednesday.
Yusuf is being probed by the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission over alleged fraud to the tune of N919m. “The reason for which he was suspended is well known to everybody. It was well publicised. It was said that there was some money, almost $1bn, for which he couldn’t account for and for which the EFCC was invited. Curiously, nobody has heard anything from the EFCC and the man was recalled,” Ali told the Punch.
“So, I think the government owes us an explanation why the man, who was suspended by the minister, was recalled by the Presidency. Why was it not the minister that recalled him? The problem about such a matter is that it would have been better if the minister recalled him because they are demystifying the offices of the minister.
“For all intents and purposes, it means that the anti-corruption body can do whatever it wants to do; the government is least concerned,” he said. In a similar vein, another senior lawyer Ifedayo Adedipe accused the president of nepotism. “The reason this man (Buhari) is doing this is because that man (Yusuf) is his fellow tribesman. That’s all!” he said.
”This country belongs to all of us; you can’t do this kind of thing to people. Has anybody found Olisa Metuh guilty? Has anybody found (Femi) Fani-Kayode guilty? Has anybody found Mrs. (Patience) Jonathan guilty? They keep dragging them.”
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