By Yusuf Mohammed Lawan
The attention of the *UPP-T Campaign Team* has been drawn to a misleading, character assassinating, and deliberate misrepresentation of facts about NNAD's history shamelessly carried out and circulated by one *Mr. Lukman Agbabiaka* in the name of a smear campaign targetted at tarnishing the very good image of the current NNAD's Leadership under the indefatigable guidance of *Dr. Chidi Olujie/Mal. Haruna Muhammed*, in order to create confusion and hatred among millions of Deaf Nigerians who stood firmly by the Chidi administration and are eagerly awaiting the commencement of the impending NNAD's national election to come out en-mass to willingly cast their votes again for* Dr. Chidi/Haruna continuity ticket.*
While the UPP-T Campaign Team understands the fears and apprehension of Mr. Lukman, which obviously is the fear of confronting with the many people-oriented achievements that have never been witnessed in the history of NNAD recorded by Dr. Chidi administration within a short spell of three and a half years, and the fear of being defeated twice by Dr. Chidi in the coming election. The UPP-T Campaign Team, as a responsible campaign group, would like to set the record straight as follows;
Firstly, we wish to remind Mr. Luman and his handlers that his baseless claims of *abetted daylight robbery and brazen display of naked power at election* against the current administration can not hold waters, as every patriotic member of NNAD is a witness to the fact that the previous election held in Kano was controlled and organized by the previous administration, and not the current administration, hence Mr. Lukman should direct his blame to the immediate past administration if he is actually ready to lead NNAD and judge justly. The Nigerian Deaf community will not condone a president who holds a master in jungle justice
On the allegations of a *clampdown on constructive criticisms* which Mr. Lukman alleged are seen by NNAD National Executives as "disgruntled voices," we challenge Mr. Lukman as someone who sees himself as one of the respected elites in the Nigerian Deaf Community and one who have every access to offer constructive admonishments, advice, criticisms and useful suggestions to the leadership of NNAD if he has ever approached the NNAD's leadership under Dr. Chidi administration to advice, criticize, or make useful suggestions and his advice were rejected or otherwise? The answer to this question is *CAPITAL NO*, we are wondering why someone who has not attended or honored all events, AGMs, IWDs, etc, which NNAD organized after losing the presidential election to Dr. Chidi, only to come out at this time of election crying shamelessly for a clampdown on constructive criticism which he himself has never offered one since the beginning of Dr. Chidi's administration. Such is the highest form of irresponsibility on the side of anyone who aspires to the office of the NNAD presidency.
Secondly, the UPP-T Campaign Team, as a responsible group tied by a common passion for unity, peace, and progress of all members of our dear NNAD, irrespective of tribal, religious, regional, or cultural differences, will not be distracted and perturbed for merely being leveled as a *political cum cult-like group* by any power-drunk and desperate presidential aspirant or anyone aspiring for elective office whatsoever.
As long as forming a political group is not a crime, as long as the NNAD constitution does not restrict members from participating in group politics, we will not be distracted from being accused of cultism. Little wonder such flimsy, ill-conceived, baseless, and ethnically-motivated accusations were coming directly from the same person that has contested and failed under the *political group* he personally formed and tagged *Inclusive Trust Team (ITT)* to serve as a political rival for UPP-T, yet we didn't raise eyebrows, because we in the UPP-T are a peace-loving and understanding people who recognize the fundamental right of every individual to form any social group he or she desired as long as such groups are not intended to dent the good image of our dear NNAD.
Talking about the *favoritism and political selection of members for job placement*, fine. The UPP-T Campaign Team wishes to state categorically that *every member of NNAD has the constitutional right to secure employment opportunities* further still, "as long as NNAD members (WHO ARE LEGITIMATE DEAF PERSONS) from all the six geopolitical zones have secured employment at federal level under the able leadership of Dr. Chidi/Haruna administration, this achievements calls for celebration by every well-meaning patriotic members of our dear NNAD. It doesn't matter who and who gets the job, what matters most is an *UNEMPLOYED DEAF MEMBER OF NNAD FINALLY GOT A JOB* which we believe will transform his/her life in an unimagined way, we also believe it is the decree of Almighty God to favour whom He wishes to secure a decent employment opportunity and who are we to question God? Those who are not happy because Mr. "A" has secured employment through NNAD's efforts are the real enemies of Deafhood progress in our midst. We, therefore, call on the thriven Deaf Nigerians to be wary of such individuals who are out to cause unnecessary division among the Nigerian Deaf community, it's advisable for all of us not to entrust such individuals with the mantle of leadership.
Furthermore, the UPP-T Campaign Team wishes to assert without fear of contradiction that it is only under the current administration led by Dr. Chidi Olujie and his ever-loyal Vice President, Alh Haruna Mohammed, that the Zonal leadership of our NNAD is discharging its official responsibilities well enough. The adherence to the principle of the constitutional division of labor has never been given credence than we witnessed in the current administration under Dr. Chidi/Haruna. The accusation of "*undue interferences in the works of fellow executives, especially Zonal Coordinators, heads of national executive*" explained by Mr. Lukman in his divisive declaration speech, is *null and void* and, therefore, must be thrown to the dustbin as it lacked merit and it does not provide concrete and explicit evidence to stand.
Conversely, the baseless accusations of "*planting of moles in the Constitution Review Committee for the amendment of some clauses of the constitution of the Association to suit selfish/personal whims and caprices at the expense of generality of members*" is a clear misrepresentation of facts, deliberately targeted at denting the good image and hard-earned reputation of the current administration in order to paint the constitutional Drafting Committee black in the eyes of Deaf Nigerians so as to drag the good work done by the committee which comprises of well-respected elders of Deaf community into the mud. We challenge Mr. Lukman to name those he leveled as "moles" in the committee for the Nigerian Deaf community to know if he is truthful.
It is obvious Mr.Lukman did not do his research well enough to get enough information on what actually led to the removal of some National Executive members. For the sake of setting the records clear, contrary to the falsifications of removal of some national executive members as captured in Mr. Lukman's declaration speech, we hereby assert that only its two erring National Executive Members (South East Zonal Coordinator and National Chief Whip) that was constitutionally relieved from their duties due to the gross offense they committed (impregnating an underage Deaf Girls) which is punishable with expulsion from the executive as inshrined in the *PSEA law and NNAD's constitution*. The other two national executives (NPRO and NFS) were not removed, but they tendered their written resignation letters, which legitimately and constitutionally justified their ceasing to be executive members. The NNAD has enough records to present as evidence to support the above claims.
On a final note, we wish to restate, without fear of contradiction, that the current administration Chidi/Haruna has zero tolerance for financial misappropriation, this is simply the reason why in all the previous AGMs organized by the current administration, the announcement of the statement of finance is carried out unabetted by the National Financial Secretary and National Treasurer.
Last but not least, we call on all well-meaning, patriotic, Deaf Nigerians from all walks of life to shun the campaign of gimmicks in its entirety for the good image of NNAD. This election is meant to strengthen and consolidate our dear NNAD, not to tear it apart. *We love you all and call you all to come out en masse to cast your votes for Dr. Chidi/Haruna ticket 2024 and all other UPP-T contestants.*
Let's make NNAD work again with Chidi/Haruna
Signed
Yusuf Mohammed Lawan (aka YML)
UPP-T chairman
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