It’s An Insult To Justify Buhari’s Lopsided Appointments On Merit

The assertions were made in a communique issued on behalf of the body by its chairman, Engr. Ejoga Oyinehi Inalegwu, following an executive meeting of the body in Kaduna on Sunday.

“We join the president in appealing for a united, equitable, fair and just Nigeria to all, irrespective of religion, tribe, origin. We, however, add that unity must first begin from the President himself.”

“Let him bring people together instead of appointing only trusted from a circle, not based on relationship with him by blood or religion or marriage but there are competent hands across religion tribe and geographical areas.”

Asking President Buhari to redress the lopsided appointments, NOSCEF said:

“So we appeal to Mr. President to even trust the indigenous Christians from his own home state of Katsina to put in government positions, to promote a united nation across religious and tribal lines by appointing not just a section to key institutions (Customs, inland revenue, accountant general etc) or strategic ministries and parastatals so they can come together and work together and appreciate themselves because of their capabilities and not privileges derivable by their religion or their tribal connections to the president.”

“Same goes for the security outfits; the Police, Army, Air Force, Navy Prisons, Immigration, Civil Defence, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, etc.

The president cannot preach unity and appoint a section of Nigerians to hold sensitive positions.”

“The president is not preaching unity when telling a section of Nigerians that by religion tribe and region they are not competent to hold sensitive positions given to them. The president is not preaching unity when infrastructure are targeted at only those who voted for him even the resources due to those who did not vote for him, are put in their trust to manage on their behalf.”

The NOSCEF said the issues about lopsided appointments under Buhari were not applicable in previous administrations, saying:

“There are several examples like Akinwunmi Adesina, Dora Akunyili of blessed memory, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, Professor Charles Soludo, Obiageli Ezekwesili, Esther Nenadi Usman, but to mention a few.Similarly, service chiefs were appointed from across all divides, that was what unity relied on to thrive.”

“And so did Jonathan, who also appointed from all parts of the country, with a National Security Adviser (NSA), from the North, Chief of Army Staff from the North and other sensitive positions from other parts of the country, not limiting them to the South.”

The cover-up and justification for this lopsided appointments being based on merit is a national insult.A president cannot say only one area of the nation boasts of competent hands.A classical example of names mentioned earlier, from the South, occupy world institutions purely based on merit.”

“That assertion the white ribbon unite the nation and is far from the truth. Let the President address these issues single-handedly and he will be sowing seeds for reuniting Nigeria.It is never too late to do the right thing to redress the wrong and the results will be rewarding seeds of unity and rebuilding confidence in the one desired oneness of our beloved country.”

“Still on unity in Nigeria, Boko Haram insurgents that have announced their repentant status should prove same by releaing the Chibok girls still in their custody as a true sense that they are indeed repentant and also Leah Sharibu and others still in captivity to prove to the nation that their repentance is genuine.”