President Buhari Makes Fresh Appointment

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reappointed of Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda as the Director-General/Chief Executive, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, (SMEDAN).

The appointment was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday by the Head, Corporate Affairs Unit, SMEDAN, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, where it was stated that Radda’s appointment for a second term in office was contained in a letter dated March 12, 2021 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha.

Naija News understands Radda was first appointed as the SMEDAN DG in March 2016 and with the fresh appointment which took effect from March 15, 2021, will be in charge of the agency for the next 5 years.

Reacting to his reappointment, Radda took to his Twitter handle @dikko_radda, to thank the President for the opportunity to serve in that capacity.

He also appreciated the support from family, friends, and loved ones, promising to take SMEDAN to greater heights.

He wrote: “All praise and gratitude be to Almighty Allah, today my tenure as the Director-General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has been extended for another five years. I am glad to have another opportunity to serve my fatherland.”

“I want to extend my gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for the confidence and trust he has in me which served as pillar to unprecedented success we recorded at SMEDAN in the last five years.”

“I am humbled and overwhelmed by the esteemed support from my family, friends, and well-wishers as well as my fellow citizens. Thank you and God bless you all.”

Meanwhile, the Presidency has denied the allegations made by the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen (retd.) against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Naija News had reported that Onnoghen said he was sacked before the 2019 general elections because the President was informed that he met with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday, March 19 at a book launch, the former CJN said he was surprised that the Buhari government decided to unlawfully remove him from office despite all the machinery at its disposal to investigate the rumour.

He noted that the situation became messy when all of a sudden, his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal was arranged, even when he had not been invited or accused of any wrongdoing.

Onnoghen added that he was also accused of setting free, high-profile criminals, whereas he ceased to be a High Court judge as far back as 1978.

Reacting to the allegations, a Presidency official who craved anonymity denied the allegations made by the former CJN against the Buhari government.