PR Nigeria publisher petitions Tinubu over planned ‘expulsion’ from NIPSS

The publisher of PR Nigeria, Yushau A. Shuaib (mnipr), who is a participant in Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru Plateau  State has petitioned President Bola Tinubu over what he termed planned ‘expulsion’ from NIPSS. The petition was contained in the letter titled:  “A […]

The publisher of PR Nigeria, Yushau A. Shuaib (mnipr), who is a participant in Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru Plateau  State has petitioned President Bola Tinubu over what he termed planned ‘expulsion’ from NIPSS.

The petition was contained in the letter titled:  “A petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on unjust treatment at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) over articles supporting digital and blue economy reforms”.

Yushau has raised the alarm over other forms of unjust and humiliating maltreatment since his article, and has also been  facing disciplinary committee in this respect.

But the Director General of the institute, Prof Ayo Omotayo has said that Yushau’s action is against the rules of the institute, and the disciplinary committee will handle the issue accordingly.

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However, Yushau has gone ahead  to petition President Tinubu over the issue, and the petition was obtained by Daily Trust.

He said despite his explanation that the article was public, positive, and published by other media, he was issued a query at the directive of Barrister Nima Salman Mann, Acting Director of Studies, and a Directing Staff, Rear Admiral Mustapha, rejected his initial written defence, insisting he “tone it down” and that he should remove certain sections, which he reluctantly did to avoid unnecessary conflict and to protect his reputation.

According to him, all he is seeking is the opportunity to complete his course, reclaim his dignity, and continue contributing meaningfully to the development of the nation.

Yushau’s petition partly read: “I write to you with profound humility and a deep sense of civic responsibility as a patriotic Nigerian and PR professional whose nomination to participate in Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru was approved by Your Excellency.

“This petition seeks to draw your attention to the unjust, humiliating, and deeply distressing treatment I have endured at NIPSS, Kuru, where I was abruptly forced to leave by the management.

“Beyond seeking justice, this petition serves to set the record straight and prevent any misleading insinuations or falsehoods that could tarnish my reputation as a law-abiding citizen.

“Despite my full compliance with all institutional requirements and my unwavering commitment to professionalism—I have been subjected to harassment, cyberbullying, and systematic exclusion.

“This has culminated in my abrupt suspension, the issuance of a directive forbidding fellow participants from engaging with me, and my removal from all official communication platforms.

“These punitive actions were taken against me solely in response to harmless and positive reports that aligned with and promoted the Digital and Blue Economy Agenda of your administration—articles in which your name was prominently mentioned in a favourable light.”

Reacting to the petition however, the Head of Public Affairs Department of NIPSS, Professor Sola Adeyanju, said the allegations of bullying by Yushau are baseless, and that their only demand from him is adherence to the clearly communicated rules of the institute.

“The National Institute is Nigeria’s foremost think tank, tasked with training top policy and decision makers and promoting disciplined, ethical leadership. Our programmes are guided by strict rules, including confidentiality of discussions during the Senior Executive Course (SEC), modelled after the Chatham House Rule.

“This ensures open, honest engagement and protects the intellectual freedom of our resource persons and participants.

“The author of the petition in question, Mr. Yushau, a participant of SEC 47, breached this confidentiality agreement by publishing internal discussions before the course concluded. Despite receiving a query and warning after the first violation, he repeated the offence and was appropriately sanctioned with a six-week suspension.

“His response to the second query was dismissive and confrontational. Allegations of bullying are baseless. Our only demand is adherence to clearly communicated rules. The National Institute will make further comments after a thorough review of the petition. We remain committed to excellence, discipline, and national development,” he said.