Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, has refuted claims that she appointed seven new advisers. These announcements were made by Bin Usman Rano, an individual who falsely claimed to be her media representative.
The clarification was issued on Monday by Austine Elemue, the official Special Assistant on Media to the Minister. Elemue emphasized that he is the sole person permitted to release statements for the minister’s office, explicitly stating that the appointments in question did not come from the minister.
Rano is not employed by the minister’s office. Instead, he is affiliated with the Dr. Mariya Support Group, which promotes President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for the 2027 elections. The minister’s office declared that any declarations made by Rano are strictly related to his support group and carry no weight with the FCT Administration.
Over the weekend, Rano had published a list of seven appointments spanning sectors including youth, sports, protocol, and religious affairs. The ministry has urged the public and media outlets to ignore these claims and to verify all future information through official channels to ensure accuracy.
