A United Kingdom based right group, Forum for Good Governance and Probity
(FGGP) have observed with surprise the way in which President Mohammadu
Buhari has been making appointments to key political positions in his
government and warned that this trend must be stopped and ensures that
appointment into the Federal Government political portfolios reflect
Federal character has stipulated in the Nigerian Constitution, according
to an electronic statement made available to the press earlier today.
FGGP said that President Buhari should remember that he was voted into
power to correct the perceived abnormalities in the system and effect real
changes that an ideal society enjoys in a political atmosphere. Jacob
Ogunseye, who is the President of the forum described the situation where
every key position goes to a section of the country as very unpopular and
parochial.
“This strategy of President Buhari shows that he hasn’t changed from what
people thought he was, this is disheartening.
“As things stand today, President Buhari has concentrated most of his
appointment in the northern part of the country, suggesting that he
prefers the north than any other part of the country.
“It is pertinent to know that former President Goodluck Jonathan towed
similar arrangement, but Nigerian were quick to show him the way out,
Nigeria should not be administered based on tribalism.
FGGP urge President Buhari to consider other parts of the country in his
appointment to reflect the presence of other regions in his government.
They warned that an attempt to continue maligning other regions as we have
seen in the last one year will only bring about suspicion and plunge the
country into unnecessary disarray.
“We are worried that President Buhari has ignored advises and warnings
from different quarters and well-meaning individuals over his appointment
direction. It is clear today that out of scores of appointments made by
the President, a section has almost been ignored.
“We hope President Buhari will yield to this clarion call and see himself
as the President of Nigeria and not the President of a section or a
religion. We thought he should have learned from the recent past, but
arguably, the present situation suggests not, we hope it won’t be too
late, Ogunseye warned.
“This practice is mental prison, many things in this period have been hard
to bear, or hard to take seriously, what is pathetic is that tribalism is
here, former President Goodluck Jonathan started it and now President
Buhari is moulding it, it won’t be too long before Nigerians revolt, every
successive government understands the price of social unrest, is President
Buhari ready for one?, FGGP asked.