By Wilson Adekumola
The newly appointed Chairman, Governing Board of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Dr AbdulLateef AbdulHakeem, has disclosed that he would not award any contract to anyone throughout his tenure noting he has prepared to lose friends and relationships.
According to the Guardian, AbdulHakeem, who was a former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, made this disclosure his acceptance speech at the inauguration ceremony, Friday, saying nobody should put pressure on him as he would not honour any request.
He said, “My appointment and confirmation as NDIC Chairman is a trial from my Lord and not a success yet. Kindly reserve the congratulatory messages until the day I succeed in leaving this organisation better than I met it.
“Stop putting pressures on me with requests. I will not honour your requests. I am going to be very different. I am ready to lose friends and relationships. I will not award any contract throughout my tenure because that is not a part of my responsibilities.
“I will not interfere in the functions of the management. I am not excited about my new office and I am ready to quit if I am asked to leave tomorrow.
“You have no idea what my role entails. I will not take any step to betray my education, experience and exposure. No threat or pressure can recruit me into the stinking system we complain of.
“I am just a leader whose primary assignment is to lead the Governing Board of NDIC in good corporate governance and best practices in accordance with established rules and regulations. I will not do otherwise,” he said.
AbdulHakeem stressed that as an Islamic cleric he would not do anything that is contrary to the will of God.
He said, “My job as an Islamic preacher is far better than this trial and for your information, I have not left serving my Lord.”
