TheCable

Shehu Sani, senator representing Kaduna central, says the demand of south-eastern leaders for representation in the zenith of Nigeria’s defence structure is legitimate.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been accused of not appointing people from the south into the top echelon of the military.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Sani said the country must live up to “its concord and spirit”.

“South-east leaders demand for representation in the Apex of the defence structure of the nation is legitimate. A federation must live up to its concord and spirit,” Sani wrote.

“We must not be using merit in the day and federal character at night or merit for lunch & character for Dinner.”

South East leaders demand for representation in the Apex of the defence structure of the nation is legitimate.A federation must live up to its concord and spirit.We must not be using merit in the day and federal character at night or merit for lunch & character for Dinner.

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) November 26, 2018

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In October, the senate was divided over Buhari’s appointments into the defence and security councils.

The disagreement ensued after Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, sponsored a motion on the “urgent need to appoint a representative of the south-east into the National Defence Council and the National Security Council.”

Umeh said no individual from the south-east had been appointed into the defence or security councils under this government.

“The defence and security advice relayed to the president by members of the defence and decurity councils (which excluded security officers from the five states that make up the south-east of Nigeria) may not likely represent fair and equitable security situation of the south-east of Nigeria,” he had said.

Supporting the motion, Eyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, alleged that there is a “deliberate attempt” to exclude some parts of the country from the security structure.