By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Nigerians living abroad under the umbrella of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) have flayed the antics of the Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa. They have accused her of using her position to cause division among Nigerians in the Diaspora.
Fidel .O. Wilson, the Public Relations Officer/Assistant General Secretary of NIDO, Europe, said this in a statement issued in reaction to an earlier press release made by NIDCOM to the effect that only two members of NIDO are expected to be in the soon-to-be appointed Board of NIDCOM.
According to NIDO, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Head, Media and Public Relations Unit NIDCOM, had issued a statement saying that: “On the issue of NIDCOM board, she was optimistic that President Muhammadu Buhari will constitute appropriately, but denounced the fallacy in some circles that the two representatives of the Diaspora in six continents will come from ONLY ONE Diaspora organisation.”
However, NIDO, Europe countered the position of NIDCOM as they believe that Mrs Dabiri-Erewa was trying deliberately to misinterpret the NIDCOM Act in order to misinform the public while exploiting such misinformation to confer undue advantage on her cronies and friends which according to them negates the original dream behind the establishment of NIDCOM.
NIDO, Europe contended that NIDCOM by the provisions of the Act establishing it was primarily aimed at accommodating all Nigerians in the Diaspora and therefore, its board should not be closed to the various Nigerian Diaspora organisations across the globe.
The NIDO statement reads in part:
“The inclusion of two representatives of NIDO from the relevant continents as enshrined in the ACT, does not in any way exclude the inclusion of other Diaspora organisations and well-meaning Nigerians in Diaspora. After all the Commission was made for Nigerians in Diaspora and not for Nigerians in Nigeria and selected friends of Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
“The instrument is quite explicit on the workings of NIDO and other Nigerian organisations in the Diaspora, hence, Abike Dabiri-Erewa should desist from causing divisions within Diaspora organisation in other to favour her indiscretion.
“Abike Dabiri-Erewa’s act is invariably dangerous as she propagates misleading information whilst using the position of her office to stroke the amber of discord among Diaspora Organizations for her selfish interest at a time when Nigerians in Diaspora are increasingly uniting to fight a common enemy (Covid-19) that is devastating our people and our Nation.”
NIDO consequently called on President Buhari and other senior government officers in the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take urgent steps to ensure that the anticipated constitution of the NIDCOM Board was done in line with the provisions of the act in tandem with the lofty dreams behind the establishment of the Diaspora Commission.
