Just as President Muhammadu Buhari approaches nearly 100-day-old administartion, his appointment of some of his administration’s most key officials on Thursday set off a firestorm of condemnation, with critics characterising the nominations as overwhelmingly lopsided, lacking in gender balance and regional equity.
Mr. Buhari named Babachir David Lawal, from Adamawa State, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Abba Kyari, from Borno, as his Chief of Staff.
He appointed Hameed Ali, a retired colonel, as the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs Service, curiously finding no career customs official suitable for the post.
He also named Kure Martin Abeshi as the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service.
Messrs. Ali and Abeshi are from Bauchi and Nasarawa states respectively.
A former Senator, Ita Enang, from Akwa Ibom, was appointed senior special assistant to the president on Senate affairs, while Suleiman Kawu of Kano, who is a former House of Representatives member, was named the president’s senior special assistant on House of Representatives.
In all, the president has yet to appoint a single female, a marked difference from Mr. Buhari’s immediate predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, who had women in all major segments of government.
That has angered not a few pro-democracy and gender activists across the country
. But what has alarmed critics more is the apparent lack of regional balance in the appointments,
NE gathered that Mr. Buhari has appointed by far more officials from Nigeria’s northern region where he comes from, in violation of federal character law.
Under the Third Schedule of the Constitution, the government must ensure “the principles of proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government”.
The posts referred to include those of the Permanent Secretaries, Directors-General in Extra-Ministerial Departments and parastatals, Directors in Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments, senior military officers, senior diplomatic posts and managerial cadres in the Federal and State parastatals, bodies, agencies and institutions.
So far, only about 25 per cent of the president’s appointments are from the south while an overwhelming 75 per cent are the north.
Also, Mr. Buhari’s North West geopolitical zone, has the largest share of 43 per cent, while the South East for instance, has no appointee at all.
The appointments have sparked anger across the land, with some critics now referring to Mr. Buhari as Nigeria’s most provincial leader ever.
Below is a list of all appointees made so far by president Buhari and their states of origin
1. Aide de Camp to president: Lt. Col Abubakar Lawal, [Kano State, North-West and husband to President Buhari’s foster daughter].
2. Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the president: Femi Adesina, [Osun State, South-West].
3. Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity: Garba Shehu, [Kano State, North-West].
4. State Chief of Protocol/Special Assistant (Presidential Matters): Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure, [Jigawa State, North-West].
5. Accountant General of the Federation: Ahmed Idris [Kano State, North-West].
6. National Security Adviser: Babagana Monguno [Borno State, North-East].
7. Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonishakin, [Ekiti State, South-West].
8. Chief of Army Staff: Tukur Buratai, [Borno State, North-East].
9. Chief of Naval Staff: Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, [Cross Rivers, South-South].
10. Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, [Bauchi State, North-East].
11. Chief of Defence Intelligence: Monday Riku Morgan [Benue State, North-Central].
12. Director General, State Security Services, SSS: Lawal Daura, [Katsina State, North-West].
13. Acting Chairperson, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Amina Zakari, [Jigawa State, North-West].
14. Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA: Habibu Abdulahi [Kano State, North-West].
15. Special Adviser, Niger Delta Amnesty Office: Paul Boroh, [Bayelsa State, South-South]
16. Acting Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration, Safety and Security Agency, NIMASA:Baba Haruna Jauro [Yobe State, North-East].
17. Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission:Umaru Dambatta [Kano State, North-West].
18. Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS: Babatunde Fowler, [Lagos State, South-West].
19. Director General, Budget Office of the Federation: Aliyu Gusau, [Zamfara State, North-West].
20. Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Emmanuel Kachikwu, [Delta State, South-South].
21. Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, [ Adamawa, North East]
22. Chief of Staff to the President: Abba Kyari, [Borno, North-East].
23. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service: Hameed Ibrahim Ali, [Bauchi State, North East].
24. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service: Kure Martin Abeshi, [Nasarawa State, North-Central].
25. Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate): Ita Enang, [Akwa Ibom State, South-South].
26. Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives): Suleiman Kawu, [Kano State, North-West].
27. Director, Department Of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Modecai Baba Ladan. [Niger, North-Central].
28. Managing Director, Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, Ahmed Lawan Kuru. [Kano].
29. Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive of the National Insurance Commission,Mohammed Kari [North-West]
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We wanted change. Now we have it. We should not complain
ReplyDelete20 put of the 29 are from the north.. And only 2 out of the 20 are christians.
ReplyDeleteNigerians shine ya eye
Nothing wrong in these appointments. Question should be whether they are competent. Let the same paper list the equivalents in GEJ's government and you will see that this was tilted towards the South. These include CBN Governor, DPR Director, Minister of Finance, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of General Staff, Secretary to the Government, NIMASA, NPA, SSA on Media, Chief of Staff, Ministers of Health, Power, Aviation, Works, Labour, Niger-Delta, Police Affairs etc. On a balance these are among the most important positions. GMB just made the first appointments and the agents of corruption are already at the game again. Also, Amina Zakari is a woman, so how can it be said the President has appointed no woman? This same Amina was a point of protest by these same agents.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Nigerians.... this is unbelievable, self-centered governance is strictly what we will continue seeing in the state because of ethnicity ideologies and interest but I just pray that God only should intervene..watch out for the so called change as earlier been tagged by the majority party currently in the state according to their political agenda.Is this what a leader,a father, an ex military, of what values to what Nigerians wants from this enforcing when the leaders minds are embedded with force enforcing political power to aparticular region.
ReplyDeleteChange is here, can't we be patient afterall September is just around the corner.
ReplyDeleteChange indeed,God pls save naija,if I may ask which way nigerian,only God knows.
ReplyDeleteThe best solution to this country is referendum, we're nothing going see what is wrong anyone did since he's from the geopolitical zone with me, so for peace to reign, let Biafrans go, Oduduwa go, Arewa become Nigeria. All this Zone have rich Natural resources to survive.
ReplyDelete