THE Federal Government, yesterday, described the purported list of nominees for national honours being circulated by some online media organisations as fake.
The list of nominees, which has now gone viral on the Internet, has however generated criticisms, especially over the calibre of people nominated for awards.
But in a statement signed by the Director Press, Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Julie Jacobs, the government debunked the list saying it will publish the list at the appropriate time and medium.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs has been drawn to a purported list of nominees for National Honours being circulated by some online media organisations.
“While it is true that President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, will be conferring National Honours on deserving Nigerians and friends of Nigeria on 11th October 2022, the authentic list of nominees is yet to be released to the public. The Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs will publish the list at the appropriate time and medium.
“Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the list in circulation as it is an attempt by overzealous reporters whose aim is to break news even when such news is fake.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the list yesterday, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, kicked against the conferment of a national honour on the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, describing the decision as an insult.
In a statement by the Coordinator and Public Relations Officer of NANS Zone D, Adegboye Olatunji and Awoyinfa Opeoluwa respectively, the students body said: “Nigerian universities students have been at home for close to eight months as a result of failure of this administration to meet the demands of lecturers and to properly fund education, the Minister of (mis)Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, is to be conferred with the National Honour of Commander of the Order of Niger, CON.
“The recognition of patronage on the Minister has not just demystified the sacredness of national honours, it has also further shown to the mass of Nigerian students that this administration does not regard the youths as critical stakeholders as far as national development is concerned.”