Buhari Is Running A Northern Government - Southern Groups

Prominent groups in the south east and south west of Nigeria have criticised what they all described as the lopsided appointments of President Muhmammadu Buhari so far, which seem to favour the northern parts of the country. 

In the south west, the groups that have expressed their worries so far are the Afenifere, Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) and the Movement for Oodua Republic (MOR), while in the South east the groups that have spoken out so far are Ohaneze Ndigbo, The Igbo World Union, Njiko Igbo Group and the Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC).

They claimed that these kinds of lopsided appointments had never happened in the political history of the country.

The YUF secretary general, Senator Anthony Adefuye, warned that the earlier the situation was reversed, the better, so as not to give the impression that the north is marginalising the south.

He said: “The fact that the President, Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are from the North is worrisome. There is no way the North can take all the principal offices and leave the deputy to us. It has never happened before and the earlier it is reverted, the better.

“There is no way that can continue because the South is not subordinate to the North. The think tank committee of the YUF will meet soon to look at the issue and see how it affects the Yoruba people. However, the development is a wrong signal that must be corrected.

“What is more worrisome is that the immediate past INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, handed over to a Southerner but the Presidency changed it to a Northerner. We are watching and waiting to see what comes out of this new government.”

“Southerners are always careful and concerned not to marginalise the North. Therefore, I will not expect the North to marginalise the South now that the Presidency is shifted to the region.”

On his own part, the national publicity secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said the group was closely monitoring Buhari’s actions and taking note of them.

He told The Punch: “We have taken a position in Afenifere to watch the President’s actions before we begin to make comments. By the time we have a clearer picture of what is happening in the first 100 days of the President in office, we are certainly going to make a comprehensive statement.”

George Akinola, leader of MOR, warned that Nigeria is heading towards total conflict should the situation continue.

According to him: “The country has already been divided along religious lines. The fault lines are there and will always be there. This will continue until a time when one way or the other a conference or a referendum happens. There is no option that is not on the table but at least we will prefer the path of peace.”

Meanwhile, the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, advised Buhari to respect the principle of federal character when making appointments.

He said, “We expect the President to recognise other nationalities that make up Nigeria. Elections are over, it is time for governance. We expect that the principle of federal character, which is constitutional, should be respected.

“It is important that in making his appointments, the President should recognise that there are six geo-political zones in the country and it is imperative that he carries all of them along in the spirit of nation building and as a statesman.”

The Igbo World Union and the Ohanaeze Youth Council described the president’s actions as a threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

The OYC national president, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said: “Buhari should not abuse his privileged position as the President of Nigeria for the moment. He should not forget our federal system but reflect the federal character in his appointments.

“We are warning him to drop the Northern agenda and govern Nigeria in line with the constitution which he sworn to protect. We will hold him by his statement that ‘he is for nobody and for everybody ‘ except he now wants to tell us that he is the President of the North alone.”

He continued:“Jonathan appointed Northerners as his National Security Adviser, Defence Minister, Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff etc. But so far, Buhari has shown us that he has no regard for other parts of the country.”

In the same vein, the president general of Igbo World Union, Dr. Mishak Nnanta, advised Buhari not to give in to any ill-advice from individuals with parochial interests.

On his part, the national president of the Njiko Igbo Forum, Reverend Okechukwu Obioha, warned the president against running what he described as a “Northern government.”

He said, “Buhari is simply running a Northern government. He is making his appointments as if he is angry with other sections of the country. The appointments are lopsided in favour of the North and that is not acceptable.”

President Buhari has so far appointed nine individuals into different positions since assuming office. Eight of the nine appointees are from the northern part of the country.