By Kateng Daniel, Jos
The Director General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph N. Ari has distanced himself from report, saying he is purportedly vying for elective position.
Ari also stated that he is not supporting any aspirant during the upcoming APC convention.
DG Ari disclosed this on Saturday during a press conference held at the NUJ press centre, in Jos.
He said “The ITF has been at the forefront of instilling in Nigerians the need for the country, like other developed nations of the world, to embrace Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a real alternative to paper qualification and white-collar jobs, and the most sustainable solution to the seemingly intractable problem of unemployment and poverty.
“What has come to my attention is that in their desperate attempts, they have printed campaign posters suggesting that I am aspiring for an elective position, and also canvassing support for the aspirations of some candidates that are vying for elective positions in our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in upcoming APC National Convention.
“I have also been reliably informed that these disgruntled elements plot to flood the convention venue with these posters in order to breed mistrust and disharmony and thereby generate rancor for their own selfish purposes, as I have never contemplated and not contemplating on vying for any elective position in the nearest future”.
Continuing: “The APC in Plateau State have over 30 Governorship Aspirants and these mischief makers have decided to select one of the aspirant and put my picture without my knowledge and I’m a friend to the aspirants”.
He stressed that presently he has been busy and fully engaged with the onerous responsibility of deploying the mandate of the ITF to equip Nigerians with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.
“I have, therefore, reported the matter to the security agencies for their further necessary action and whosoever is found wanting of printing posters with my photograph will never go unpunished because the don’t have the permission to do so”.
He advised the public to disregard any campaign poster to the effect that he is running for any elective positon, or in support of the ambition of any candidate during the upcoming APC convention, as it is false.
“As a matter of facts by the time the election takes place in February 2023, I will have more than a year to go in my second term as the ITF Director General” Ari added.
