On Buhari’s appointments so far
By Ugochukwu Amasike
As a fan and avid supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, I have refused to believe the allegations of nepotism that has been serially levelled against him in the media, with regard to the character of his appointments so far. I have tenaciously held on to my belief about his patriotic character and have passionately informed all that would care to listen that he is a man of integrity that means well for Nigeria.
However, with the recent appointment of yet another Nigerian of Northern extraction at the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), in addition to the very shoddy and distasteful process that led to the appointment of an acting Director General/Chief Executive at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), I am beginning to get very concerned and disturbed about Buhari’s disposition and regard for federal character vis a vis his appointments of personnel to critical national institutions.
The nature of his appointments has been very lopsided and does not in any way whatsoever help his image as a detribalised Nigerian, nor does it also help the image and fortunes of his party, the APC. His appointments lend credence to the allegations of nepotism leveled against him by his critics, whom with each new appointment he seems to be justifying, this should not be so.
I implore those who have President’s ear, like Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state, and others to kindly inform him and prevail on him the urgent NEED to respect federal character in his appointments and to not disappoint us, his army of supporters who come from elsewhere other than northern Nigeria.
We have drawn the ire of many friends and brethren of ours, who perceive him as a tribalist and religious fanatic. The character of his appointments thus far is doing us, his supporters from southern Nigeria a great disservice, and is also quietly causing disaffection and suspicion; this we do not need, not at this time of critical security and economic challenges that are bedevilling our dear Country.
Whilst pro-merit, it is the humble and considered opinion of this writer that in view of our social dynamics as a multi-ethnic Country, the issue of federal character should and must be taken into cognizance by the president; to do otherwise would not augur well for his image and for the progress and security of our country (as history has taught us).
Justice and equity must be the foundation of the new Nigeria which we seek to build and bequeath to our children. A word is enough for the wise.
@AMASIKE
Views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of TheCable.
Well said!
Ugochukwu, as we all unconsciously know how un-detribalized most Nigerians are,i don’t think this should be a surprise. Most Nigerians tend to surround themselves with people of similar tribe and doctrine because of certain reasons.I am sure he will give some posts to other segments of the country…posts without so much power!
From my little observation, the people that has been louder about what they perceive about Buhari’s so-called “lopsided appointments” are people from the southeast extraction. And this is curious. Why is that when one of their own takes what rightly belongs to others(eg. Ekweremadu) they say nothing? But when an appointment they believe, however erroneous their beliefs may be, goes to someone else they shout blue murder. Even those they got were never acknowledged. Is it a part of their strategy to really dominate? Former SGF Anyim and Iweala packed the federal secretariat with their own people and one did not hear these people shouting federal character. Maybe it’s an Igbo thing that no one outside the group can understand. i am just curious.
God bless you, Femi. Those who either by conspiratorial silence, covert or overt aquiesance did not write to condemn the crass lopsidedness in appointments by Jonathan have no moral right to condemn Buhari even when he has not made 10% of appointments in his government!!!
Before Mallam Sanusi became Emir, he opened the doors of CBN to the North..the list goes on.
History shows that as a political arrangement, the Igbo’s have chaired the Senate, except for Mark. Last I checked Femi has no ambition for Ike’s glorified position!
Good observation my friend, The writer deliberately failed to mention the appointment of Igbo NNPC boss. A position that is most strategically important than all the appointments so far made. He also failed to mention the appointment of Key positions by PDP members in the House of Assembly as all of them are igbo. Igbo is only one of the many tribes in the south. Just like we have hundreds of tribes in the north. So the appointment reads north-south not Igbo- others. Going by Federal character Igbos only 5 states out of 36 states in Nigeria, so technically out of every 36 appointments to be made they are only entitled to 5. So stop making noise and lets move our country forward.
In light of the several allegations which are yet to be debunked, the September deadline would put rest to all these conspiracy theories abound.
However as the idiom goes, “there is no smoke without fire”!
It’s not yet 97%. I am still waiting for September though
….and the tribalization continues!
Why do Nigerians always perceive everything from the perspective of Ethnicity? It is saddening and quite disgusting and counter-productive.
It’s obvious that some of the commentators here, left the germane issues raised and just looked for the name of the author of this article to ascertain his or her ethnicity, smh for Nigerians. No wonder we still backward.