The Presidency took a swipe at Dr. Mohammed Junaid criticism of President
Mohammadu Buhari, accusing him of “bad belle” in a rejoinder signed by
Chief Okoi Obono-obla, Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution.
Junaid, a vocal Northern leader had accused President Buhari of nepotism
in an interview with The Punch Newspapers weekend.
Obono-Obla said there was nothing wrong for the President appointing
anyone of his choice regardless of family ties, drawing comparison with
President John Kennedy who appointed his immediate brother, Robert
Kennedy.
His rejoinder reads:
I have read the wild allegation of nepotism levelled against President
Muhammadu Buhari by Dr Jinadu Mohammed in an interview he granted Punch
Newspaper edition of Saturday the 23 July 2016 ; and I truly think that
the allegation is indeed baseless and hogwash.
It is unfortunate and a huge disappointment that such frivolous
histrionics and diatribe could come from the mouth of a supposedly elder,
learned person and Statesman like Dr. Jinuadu Mohammed. For the purpose of
this write up, I will not delved into other acerbic allegations levelled
by Dr Mohammed against President Buhari but try to restrict myself to
that bothering on nepotism.
It is illogical for Jinadu Mohammed to suggest that Amina Zakaria , the
INEC National Commissioner was appointed by Buhari . She was appointed by.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan. I did not believe that it was Buhari
who gave her name to former President Jonathan because at the time she was
appointed President Buhari was a leading Opposition in the country. Mamman
Daura is not holding any government position. Therefore making a heavy
weather of the appointment of certain people who Jinadu Mohammed perceived
to be related to Mamman Daura is unfortunate and unfair! I do not
honestly anything morally or constitutionally wrong or improper for
President Buhari appointing relations of Mamman Daura! Are they not
Nigerians?
Is Jinadu Mohammed suggesting that President Buhari should cut off from
his relatives such as Mamman Daura because he is President! The Minister
of Water Resources, Adamu Suleiman, I know very well and has been close
to President Buhari since 2003 when he entered politics. Suleiman Adamu
has always work assiduously to promote the candidacy of President Buhari
in all the elections he had contested . He was the Vice Chairman of the
defunct CPC for North West. He is a competent, experienced and well
educated engineer who deserve to be appointed Minister in his own Right .
He was never appointed Minister because of the reasons suggested by Jinadu
Mohammed. Conversely, is there anything wrong with the appointment of the
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello? Is Jinadu
Mohammed, suggesting that the father of the Minister is purportedly of
President Buhari’s friend he should be appointed ; even though he is
eminently Qualified for such an appointment! This is strange and
illogical! In the United States of America, President John Kennedy
appointed his immediate brother, Robert Kennedy and heavens did not fall.
There is nothing constitutionally, administratively, morally restraining a
President from appointing a person related with him by blood in so far as
that person is eligible!
The positions mentioned by Jinadu Mohammed such as Director of Protocol
(SCOOP) ; ADC ( Colonel Abubakar) and Personal Assistant (Sabiu Yusuf) ,
he alleged are occupied by Buhari’s relations are not political
appointments but inconsequential administrative and personal positions
that Buhari reserve the prerogative to appoint people of his choice .
Jinadu Mohammed has also not told us how the Minister from Kaduna’s
relationship with Governor Nasir El Rufai dis entitles her from being
appointed as Minister. In any case, Governor El Rufai is not President
Buhari ‘s relation; so how does the charge of nepotism come in!
The outbursts of Jinadu Mohammed is therefore in the realm of an emotional
outburst, sour grapes and bad belle. When will Dr Mohammed see anything
good in another person! The other day, he thoroughly ridiculed and abused
Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation
and Minister and wrongly and inappropriately dismissed him as a ” charge
and bail” lawyer ! Can you imagine! In most African cultures, it is wrong
and inappropriate for an elderly person like Dr Mohammed to abuse a
younger such as Abubakar Malami,SAN in such a vitriolic manner in the
guise of being a public critic!
Okoi Obono-Obla