In 1985, Rear Admiral Murtala Nyako was an influential member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council and later became Vice Admiral and appointed Deputy Chief of Defence Staff and the number four man in the country’s leadership heirachy, after Milatary President Ibrahim Babangida, the Chief of General Staff and defacto Vice President, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu and the number three man, Chief of Defence Staff (defacto 2nd vice president), Gen. Dumkat Bali.
It was in one of the Armed Forces Ruling Council meetings that Admiral Nyako, as a senior member, nominated Professor Jibril Aminu, then, Vice Chancelor of the University of Maiduguri to be shortlisted in the new cabinet as a civillian Minister from Gongola State.
I do not want to name names, but for lack of flights that day and the urgency of the matter, Admiral Nyako sent someone that I would keep anonymous, to pick Prof. Aminu and drove him to Kaduna, where he caught a flight to Lagos and reported to his benefactor for briefing.
Admiral Nyako, like all men of honor, does not kiss and tell. Even yours sincerely had to bring out the detail of this part of his relationship with Prof. Aminu, because I find it necessary to set the record right as a result of the social media claim that Nyako owes his fortune as Adamawa State Governor to Professor Jibril Aminu.
Yes, Prof. Aminu may have been a contributing factor, but now you know the two had a long history together, despite their political disagreement in recent times.
Luckily, former military President Ibrahim Babangida is alive and can confirm that it was Admiral Murtala Nyako who gave the name of Prof. Jibril Aminu to be appointed Minister of the Federal Republic.
Let me make it clear that this piece of information shared is neither a rebuttal nor a rejoinder to the audio ranting being circulated in the social media, because it is not worth it. Only #FACTCHCEK.
- Aminu Iyawa is former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico
