The Presidency has queried the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Chief Festus Odimegwu, over his reported comments on the nation’s past census.

Our correspondent gathered in Abuja on Tuesday that the Presidency felt the comments negated his position as the NPC boss.

A source in the Presidency said, “Odimegwu was queried over some comments that were credited to him in the newspapers.”

Before the source spoke, there were speculations that he was suspended. Odumegwu, however, denied both the suspension and the query.

“There is nothing wrong,” he said when contacted on the query and the alleged suspension, adding, “it is the propaganda of those who are jittery concerning the reforms we are bringing to the NPC.”

“What they are saying is not true; it is blackmail. It is propaganda and that is their wish. You should know that if wishes were horses, beggars would be riding every day,” he stated.

Odimegwu had in a recent interview with journalists in Abuja said the country had not had any credible census since 1816.

He had blamed the irregularity on the distortion and falsification of figures for selfish and political reasons.

Odimegwu said, “No census has been credible in Nigeria since 1816. Even the one conducted in 2006 is not credible. I have the records and evidence produced by scholars and professors of repute. This is not my report. If the current laws are not amended, the planned 2016 census will not succeed.”

But the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankanso, at a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan faulted the appointment of the NPC boss.

In an interview with State House correspondents, Kwankanso “I also raised the issue of the Chairman of the National Population Commission headed by one Festus Odimegwu.

“We are not happy about that appointment, and think that it was a mistake. Odimegwu shouldn’t be there in the first place, why because, you see unfortunately we were together, somebody read his curriculum vitae.

“He had only one thing in alcoholic industry, all his life. And my guess is that he’s taking a lot of his products and that is why we feel that his appointment is a mistake because he cannot be the Chairman of NPC and at the same time attacking what his predecessor had done.”

The NPC, in its reaction, faulted Kwankwaso’s comments.

In a statement by the Chairperson of the NPC Public Affairs Committee , Oluseyi Aderinokun-Olusanya, the commission said “the governor’s call for the sack of NPC chairman was diversionary, ill-advised and a reckless attempt to politicise the yet-to-be conducted 2016 census.”


http://www.punchng.com/news/presidency-queries-odimegwu-npc-chairman/

TeaParty: The Presidency has queried the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Chief Festus Odimegwu, over his reported comments on the nation’s past census.

Our correspondent gathered in Abuja on Tuesday that the Presidency felt the comments negated his position as the NPC boss.

A source in the Presidency said, “Odimegwu was queried over some comments that were credited to him in the newspapers.”

Before the source spoke, there were speculations that he was suspended. Odumegwu, however, denied both the suspension and the query.

“There is nothing wrong,” he said when contacted on the query and the alleged suspension, adding, “it is the propaganda of those who are jittery concerning the reforms we are bringing to the NPC.”

“What they are saying is not true; it is blackmail. It is propaganda and that is their wish. You should know that if wishes were horses, beggars would be riding every day,” he stated.

Odimegwu had in a recent interview with journalists in Abuja said the country had not had any credible census since 1816.

He had blamed the irregularity on the distortion and falsification of figures for selfish and political reasons.

Odimegwu said, “No census has been credible in Nigeria since 1816. Even the one conducted in 2006 is not credible. I have the records and evidence produced by scholars and professors of repute. This is not my report. If the current laws are not amended, the planned 2016 census will not succeed.”

But the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankanso, at a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan faulted the appointment of the NPC boss.

In an interview with State House correspondents, Kwankanso “I also raised the issue of the Chairman of the National Population Commission headed by one Festus Odimegwu.

“We are not happy about that appointment, and think that it was a mistake. Odimegwu shouldn’t be there in the first place, why because, you see unfortunately we were together, somebody read his curriculum vitae.

“He had only one thing in alcoholic industry, all his life. And my guess is that he’s taking a lot of his products and that is why we feel that his appointment is a mistake because he cannot be the Chairman of NPC and at the same time attacking what his predecessor had done.”

The NPC, in its reaction, faulted Kwankwaso’s comments.

In a statement by the Chairperson of the NPC Public Affairs Committee , Oluseyi Aderinokun-Olusanya, the commission said “the governor’s call for the sack of NPC chairman was diversionary, ill-advised and a reckless attempt to politicise the yet-to-be conducted 2016 census.”


http://www.punchng.com/news/presidency-queries-odimegwu-npc-chairman/

Ok. Waiting for hater Kwankwaso and his colleagues in Nairaland to respond.

Good. This is a good news. We need courageous men with balls who can stand firm and say "it is not going to be business as usual". We don enter corruption sotey some people no wan change again. Festus, carry go joor.

My advice to Odimegwu is that he should talk less and work more. If he feels strongly about some issues he can let it out through proxies. The NPC is a very sensitive institution.

..'in a time of universal deceit,saying the truth is a revolutionary act'>George Orwell
..'those who are careful never reach their goals'>English poet
No one can deny the constancy of change,the good days has been sighted from afar.Ride on Odimegwu.

.

I have always maintained that Kwankwaso is an 1D10T!. Could you imagine? His sole reason for calling for sack of Odimegwu is that he (Odimegwu) spent virtually his career with Nigeria Breweries What a shame for a state governor who should know better that Festus Odimegwu is far more qualified to run any public service than a billlion replica of himself!

I would want to believe that Gov. kwankwaso met with Jonathan to settle differences in his party, the PDP AHEAD of 2015 which to all discening minds, is to feather his selfish interest as a well-tutored ROGUE politician. How then does that connect with who leads the NPC, even to the extent of scrutinizing Odimegwu's CV? Hmmm....

If not for the comedy for which Nigeria has long since being reduced, KWANKWASO should not have any business vetting Odimegwu's competency, let alone to comment publicly on them!! If it were say for instance, on how to end Boko Haram crisis or addressing the nomadic cattle rearers and their issues... I think this is more likely to be where he can make inputs but definitely not bench-marking Odimegwu. IT IS AN ABERATION!!!

Well meaning Nigerians should start calling kwankwaso and his ilk to order. Kwankwaso has proved to be an hard-core tribalist who sees nothing good in others, save if they are Hausa-Fulani. He is fond of playing the ethnic card to further his selfish interests and create chaos. He made so much noise about maligning of Northern army officers by Ihejirika, blew false alarm on Sen. Ekweremadu about state creation and continues to pay lip service to the security of lives and propeerty of settler communities in Kano. Quite recently, he has perfected a strategy of making ghost lists of casualties of dastardly terrorist attacks in his crisis-ridden Kano enclave, all in a viscious bid to consolidate political power.

Gov. kwankwaso should desist forthwith from his crude antics and stop commenting on persons and issues for which he lacks knowledge.

Where are those who were running their mouth in other thread concerning the suspension? No surprise they would be here soon to applaud the latest development! The problem on this forum is that, some characters are consistently inconsistent. Insincere9igerian who leads the pack, could not even wait for confirmation before rushing to defend his paymaster, shameless bigot. Pure case of a crass sycophant!

On the subject matter, Odumegwu , I support you in totality, drum it to their ears, this fraud must not be allowed to continue. Take a case of Kano/Jigawa States vs Lagos State, in 1991 census the population figures of of both states were put at 4.4m and 4.2 respectively, the difference which they maintained till date. Then fastforword to 1997, Jigawa was carved out of Kano state thereby leaving kano depleted both in land mass and population. But in 2006 fraud called Census, Kano state was credited with a population figure of about 9.8M, Jigawa 5.6m while Lagos was allocated 9.6m. Then combine the figures of kano and Jigawa states, you have 15.5m. According to them the population of Old Kano States doubled to cater for Jigawa State while that of Lagos state remains stagnant because no state was carved out it. Nigerian Logic, you may say!

Last Line: Nigerian Census figures distribution has defied all known demographic logic. Sovereign National Conference to the rescue!

Festus is just alerting Nigerians to expect reforms of the Census Act, in order to produce reasonable population data in 2016. This is also an opportunity for people to make inputs, especially Lagos State that is contesting the lower figures assigned to them, as against the higher figures assigned to Kano State.

Where are those people insinuating that GEJ sacrificed him on the altar of political relevance?.

If this was a rumor we need to evaluate the kind of newspapers to read. Such news must be coming direct from the opposition or anti-Janathan..and the suspension was never communicated by NTA...pls can i have the first source to claim his suspension..Kano is never populated than Lagos.. See ibo man defeating Lagos, the truth at it peak and it healthy..I also enrol you to do the same, 'Dear Olivetwist'

Kwankwaso is a bastard! I don't see anything wrong in wot odimegwu said. And telling Nigerians dat Odimegwu' CV reeks of alcoholism is d height of insult to a first class chemistry graduate of UNN. Nigeria brewery does not produce only beers. Guess kwankwaso's islamic hatred for alcohol propeld his uncouth statement. Meanwhile he enjoys alcohol tax more than us due to d fake NPC figure cooked up for kano which gave them d most populated state in Nigeria.

Festus should talk less but conduct a clean census dat av ethnicity and religion in d data. Enough of these fake figures used to cheat southerners.

Kwankwaso must have graduated from one of those Almajiri school.

MOD d same way u brot to d front page d news of his suspension, kindly do d needful about ds thread to balance d news.

[quote author=Kingspin][/quote]The opposition we have in Nigeria has no class.
I won't be surprised if they've indeed infilterated ASUU just like the FG is claiming.

Can he talk a bit less ?

I remember when it was rumored that , he was going to loose his job in NB because of the 3rd term agenda, he kept on talking also.

After his removal in NB, there have been systematic takeover of senior mamanagement position by the Dutch in NB(digression). However, Chief should talk less

The question should be why is Nigeria terrorised, intimidated and blackmailed when men of goodwill want to get the job rightly done.

Festus Odimegwu is only the chief collation officer of NPC and not the field data officers, he is in charge of reforms and policies (that are subject to public scrutiny) to achieve a credible census.

Nobody or any section of the Country should be seen as threatening the commission to maintain its previous comparative advantage.

From my assessment the NPC Boss never mentioned any State rather was referring to the exercise that were never credible taking a clue from Yaradua who admitted that Iwu and his Electoral Commission were never credible during the election that produced him as President and then went ahead to promise reforms.

Sincere 9gerian: My advice to Odimegwu is that he should talk less and work more. If he feels strongly about some issues he can let it out through proxies. The NPC is a very sensitive institution.

Ngwakwe: The question should be why is Nigeria terrorised, intimidated and blackmailed when men of goodwill want to get the job rightly done.

Festus Odimegwu is only the chief collation officer of NPC and not the field data officers, he is in charge of reforms and policies (that are subject to public scrutiny) to achieve a credible census.

Nobody or any section of the Country should be seen as threatening the commission to maintain its previous comparative advantage.

From my assessment the NPC Boss never mentioned any State rather was referring to the exercise that were never credible taking a clue from Yaradua who admitted that Iwu and his Electoral Commission were never credible during the election that produced him as President and then went ahead to promise reforms.

I beleive that, if you are in Rome, behave like romans. What is the benefit of having a capable man loosing the position due to avoidable reasons.

If he choses not to talk, how will that affect his delivery. If the talking will make him loose the Job, and thereby making us as citizens not to benefit from his skills, then he had better keep quiet and do his job silently

Hmm no b small tin ooo

Rumour mongering and petty national gossip is the only hope of apc. Today they say amaechi has formed and allied with PDM, tomorrow it's VOP. If these men know how to play it they better do, no basis for this continuous shameless charade, that's all!

Sincere 9gerian: My advice to Odimegwu is that he should talk less and work more. If he feels strongly about some issues he can let it out through proxies. The NPC is a very sensitive institution.

.

Sincere 9gerian: My advice to Odimegwu is that he should talk less and work more. If he feels strongly about some issues he can let it out through proxies. The NPC is a very sensitive institution.

Kwankwaso says the man is a drunkard. That is not denied.When a man drinks he opens his mouth and talk rubbish.

Kingspin: If this was a rumor we need to evaluate the kind of newspapers to read. Such news must be coming direct from the opposition or anti-Janathan..and the suspension was never communicated by NTA...pls can i have the first source to claim his suspension..Kano is never populated than Lagos.. See ibo man defeating Lagos, the truth at it peak and it healthy..I also enrol you to do the same, 'Dear Olivetwist'

LEADERSHIP newspaper..the same newspaper that forged a presidential directive

This is obviously a crap. It shows these guys don't listen to news. it was reported yestday, so the OP should go to bed or go get a JOB.

It was on STV news , but people are here basking in the euphoria of lies and denials, anyway "o maaa npe ki o to ye oloku ada" . It will be too late for u guys to realise u've been wasting ur precious time. dats all.

bismarck: I have always maintained that Kwankwaso is an 1D10T!. Could you imagine? His sole reason for calling for sack of Odimegwu is that he (Odimegwu) spent virtually his career with Nigeria Breweries What a shame for a state governor who should know better that Festus Odimegwu is far more qualified to run any public service than a billlion replica of himself!

I would want to believe that Gov. kwankwaso met with Jonathan to settle differences in his party, the PDP AHEAD of 2015 which to all discening minds, is to feather his selfish interest as a well-tutored ROGUE politician. How then does that connect with who leads the NPC, even to the extent of scrutinizing Odimegwu's CV? Hmmm....

If not for the comedy for which Nigeria has long since being reduced, KWANKWASO should not have any business vetting Odimegwu's competency, let alone to comment publicly on them!! If it were say for instance, on how to end Boko Haram crisis or addressing the nomadic cattle rearers and their issues... I think this is more likely to be where he can make inputs but definitely not bench-marking Odimegwu. IT IS AN ABERATION!!!

Well meaning Nigerians should start calling kwankwaso and his ilk to order. Kwankwaso has proved to be an hard-core tribalist who sees nothing good in others, save if they are Hausa-Fulani. He is fond of playing the ethnic card to further his selfish interests and create chaos. He made so much noise about maligning of Northern army officers by Ihejirika, blew false alarm on Sen. Ekweremadu about state creation and continues to pay lip service to the security of lives and propeerty of settler communities in Kano. Quite recently, he has perfected a strategy of making ghost lists of casualties of dastardly terrorist attacks in his crisis-ridden Kano enclave, all in a viscious bid to consolidate political power.

Gov. kwankwaso should desist forthwith from his crude antics and stop commenting on persons and issues for which he lacks knowledge.

very correct ''oto von'' birsmerk

Gov. Kwashorkor shud shataap jawe. Kudos to Mr. Odimegwu. Naija need more pple lyk him

The main beneficiary of all the skewed national census outings in the past has been Kano state AND now is it surprising that Kwankwaso of Kaon state has put forward his leg to truncate any credible census that seeks to right the wrongs of the past.

mu2sa2: Kwankwaso says the man is a drunkard. That is not denied.When a man drinks he opens his mouth and talk rubbish.

The media and people like you at work..Later presidnt Yar'dua said the election that brought me was a fraud..Jaja also said our election has some sharp or short corners, and Sanusi also said 60-70% of our budget goes to the legislatures.Lagos too disagree that Kano is not populated than them, is there corruption in Nigeria 'YES' etc and now NPC boss saying we are yet to have a credible census is there anything wrong with the truth..These are all facts known to good Nigerian..Pls ask yourself who are those opposing the statement South or North..If PDP is not doing very well and you agree what stop you from moving further..We need to say & hear the truth and nothing less..

3ace: Good. This is a good news. We need courageous men with balls who can stand firm and say "it is not going to be business as usual". We don enter corruption sotey some people no wan change again. Festus, carry go joor.

It would have been another Nigeria wonder if Odumegwu was suspended for saying what other highly placed govt officials had been saying all these years,