Tinubu to correct Buhari’s old lopsided appointment script that favoured the Fulani Muslim North majorly

Re: Fact-check: 81 of Buhari’s 100 appointees are Northerners

A report by Nathaniel Akhigbe on Nov 1, 2017 later re-posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 by Businessday Ng – which was titled, “Fact-check: 81 of Buhari’s 100 appointees are Northerners,” is being recalled again by former Presidential Candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance MAJA in 2019, and a Professor of Applied Linguistics, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies.

Adesanya-Davies recalls: “When President Muhammadu Buhari made his first set of appointments in July 2015, not a few but several Nigerians saw the appointments as divisive and heavily tilted in favour of the North and against the South. Indeed, many pointed out that the appointments violated the Federal Character Principle.

Clearly written, Section 13, subsection (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states that, “the composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also command national loyalty.”

But despite this provision, there were those who did not see anything wrong in the lopsided appointments by President Buhari. However, when subsequent appointments unrepentantly followed the same trend, such that at the end of the day all major security and law enforcement positions, with the exception of the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, went to Northern Muslims, these diehard Buhari supporters stuck with the old maxim: see no evil, say no evil.

President Buhari’s appointments were skewed in favour of the North, BDSUNDAY research shows that out of 100 political office holders appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari since he came to office in 2015, 81 are Northerners. This is excluding ministerial positions which are statutory according to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. This is not to say that Buhari has made only 100 appointments since 2015; 100 is the number that our intensive research was able to track.

Some persons contend that it was Buhari’s obvious and apparent inclination towards regional preferences in appointments, encapsulated in his self-professed ‘97 percent-5 percent’ principle, that led to an escalation of ethnic and regional grievances in the country, manifesting in the self-determination agitations and calls for restructuring and ‘true federalism.,’

But others are looking at 2019. They say given everything that has gone down so far, not even a repeat of the famous “I belong to nobody, I belong to everybody” mantra, which endeared him to even his political opponents in 2015 when he took over Nigeria’s seat of power, would save Buhari and his ruling APC in the next round of elections.

Yinka Odumakin, the late spokesperson of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, had said that the various agitations to end the entity called Nigeria are directly linked to the issues of President Buhari’s appointments, lamenting that when discussing national security, certain sections are not represented, a scenario he described as unfortunate.

“We have not run an inclusive government in the last two-and-a-half years or so and that is evident. And when you look at Nigeria, when they hold the meeting of Security Council today, apart from one or two nominal people, the whole people there are all from the Northan section of the country. Again, if you look at other appointees, every agency that bears arms is headed by people from that section of the country. This is why Nigeria is so fragile at the moment,” Odumakin said.

Further, Chido Onumah, coordinator, African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (ACMIL), said the constitution provides that the president of the country should do everything necessary to ensure there is national cohesion and unity, and that no group, religious or other forms, should be seen to be dominating others.

“The president has a duty to ensure that he is not perceived to be sectional or seen to be representing one group against the others, and so on. The president has a constitutional duty to ensure that no group is marginalised. I think the word ‘marginalisation’ is even used in the constitution. It is a constitutional matter; and going by the statistics you just gave me now, it means that the President in breach of the Constitution,” Onuma told BDSUNDAY.

According to him, some of the agitations in the country today are tied to the president’s appointments, whether rightly or wrongly, saying that the arguments in some quarters that Nigerians should be asking whether those appointed are qualified are baseless.

“There is no part in Nigeria where you cannot find qualified Nigerians. Looking for qualified people from only the North does not help us as a nation. Nigeria is not just about economy and GDP; it is also about politics, social cohesion, national unity and all that. For you to grow the GDP you have to have a country. It is the individuals who live in the country that make up the country. And so, we have to come together and agree how we can work together in peace and harmony,” he said.

Igho Akeregha, president, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), who said he has followed very keenly the appointments made by President Buhari since assumption of office as well as the reactions by cross-sections of the Nigerian population both in Nigeria and overseas, noted that almost all sensitive political appointments made by the president, including those on the strategic institutions and security, have left a wide gulf between the North and the rest of the country, women and men, as well as Christians and Muslims.

He said President Buhari’s appointments, which are “sectional, unacceptable and an act that would promote division”, have encouraged acrimony and denial of a sense of belonging to certain sections of the federation.
A government that claims to be fighting corruption, he argued, must as a matter of fact respect the laws and run away from tilting towards executive lawlessness which is not an attribute of democracy and democratic norms.

100 Buhari appointees and their geopolitical zones

Name Portfolio State/region

1. Tukur Buratai Chief of Army Staff Borno/North-East

2. Babagana Monguno National Security Adviser Borno/North-East

3. Abubakar Lawal Aide de Camp Kano/North-West

4. Femi Adesina SA, Media and Publicity Osun/South-West

5. Garba Shehu SA, Media and Publicity Kano/North-West

6. Lawal Kazaure State Chief of Protocol Jigawa/North-West

7. Ahmed Idris Accountant General Kano/North-West

8. Abayomi Olonishakin Chief of Defence Staff Ekiti/South-West

9. Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas Chief of Naval Staff Cross River/South-South

10. Sadique Abubakar Chief of Air Staff Bauchi/North-East

11. Monday Morgan Chief, Defence Intel Benue/North-Central

12. Lawal Daura DG, State Security Services Katsina/North-West

13. Mahmood Yakubu INEC Chairman Bauchi/North-East

14. Hadiza Bala Usman MD, NPA, Kaduna/North-West

15. Paul Boroh SA, Niger Delta Amnest Bayelsa/South-South

16. Dakuku Peterside DG, NIMASA Rivers/South-South

17. Umaru Dambatta Chief Executive, NCC Kano/North-West

18. Babatunde Fowler Chairman, FIRS Lagos/South-West

19. Aliyu Gusau DG, Budget Office Zamfara/North-West

20. Maikanti Baru GMD, NNPC Bauchi/North-East

21. Babachir Lawal SGF Adamawa/North-East

22. Abba Kyari Chief of Staff Borno/North-East

23. Hameed Ali CG, Nigerian Customs Kaduna/North-West

24. Kure Abeshi CG, Nigerian Immigration Nasarawa/North-Central

25. Ita Enang SSA, National Assembly Akwa Ibom/South-South

26. Suleiman Kawu SSA, National Assembly Kano/North-West

27. Modecai Baba Ladan Director, DPR Kano/North-West

28. Ahmed Lawan Kuru MD, AMCON Yobe/North-East

29. Mohammed Kari Insurance Commission Bauchi/North-East

30. Ibrahim Magu Acting Chairman, EFCC Borno/North-East

31. Abike Dabiri SSA, Diaspora Ogun/South-West

32. Abdullahi Muhammadu CG, NSCDS Niger/North-Central

33. Winifred Oyo-Ita Head of Service Cross River/South-West

34. Aishah Ahmad Deputy Gov. CBN Niger/North-Central

35. Mary Ekpere DG, NCWD Cross River/South-South

36. Dikko AbdulRahman Chairman, BoI Borno/North-East

37. Ahmed Dangiwa MD, Federal M. Bank Kaduna/North-West

38. Melville Ebo ED, Federal M. Bank Anambra/South-East

39. Dankane Abdullahi ED, Federal M. Bank Kebbi/North-West

40. Alex Okoh DG, BPE Edo/South-South

41. Ibrahim Goni CG, National Park Niger/North-Central

42. Nasiru Ladan DG, NDE Niger/North-Central

43. Saliu Alabi DG, MINILS Benue /North-Central

44. Jeffery Barminas DG, RICT Adamawa/North-East

45. Haruna Yerima DG, NISER, Borno/North-East

46. Mohammed Tukur Secretary, FCC Adamawa/North-East

47. Shettima Abba Chairman, FCC Borno/North-East

48. Tunde Erukera ES, CPP Kogi/North-Central

49. Umar Gambo Jibrin ES, FCDA Bauchi/North-East

50. Muhammad Abdallah CEO, NDLEA Adamawa/North-East

Name Portfolio State/region

51. Garba Abari DG, NOA Yobe/North-East

52. Sule Kazaure DG, NYSC Jigawa/North-West

53. Jelani Aliyu DG, NADDC Sokoto/North-West

54. Bayo Onanuga DG, NAN Ogun/South-South

55. Ibrahim Idris IG of Police Niger/North-Central

56. Ghaji Bello DG, NPC Gombe/North-East

57. Saleh Dunoma MD, FAAN  Not confirmed

58. U.S.A. Sadiq Dir, Security, FAAN  Not confirmed

59. Rabiu Yadudu, Dir Operations, FAAN Kano/North-West

60. Salisu Daura Dir, Maintenance, FAAN Katsina/North-West

61. Rahimatu Aminu-Aliyu  ED, Federal M. Bank North

62. Julie Okah DG, NAPTIP South-South

63. Bello Rabiu COO, NNPC Kano/North-West

64. Henry Ikem-Obih COO, NNPC South-South

65. Bello Gusau ES, PTDF Nasarawa/North-Central

66. Isiaka Abdulrazaq CFO, NNPC Kwara/North-Central

67. Isa Inuwa COO, NNPC North

68. Saidu Muhammad COO, NNPC North

69. Babatunde Adeniran COO, NNPC South-West

70. Chidi Momah Secretary, NNPC Not confirmed

71. Modecai Baba Ladan Dir, DPR Niger/North-Central

72. Eberechukwu Uneze ED, AMCON Imo/South-East

73. Aminu Ismail ED, AMCON Kano/North-West

74. Ishaq Oloyede Registrar, JAMB Ogun/South-West

75. Chidi K. C. Izuwah DG, ICRC South-East

76. Bolaji OwasanoyeICPCSouth-West

77. Lenrie Aina National Librarian Ogun/South-West

78. Charles Uwakwe NECO   Not confirmed

79. Umaru Maza Maza Chair, REA Kebbi/North-West

80. Damilola Ogunbiyi MD, REA Lagos/South-West

81. Sanusi  Ohiare ED, REA Kogi/North-Central

82. Fola C. Akinkuotu MD, NAMA South-West

83. Sani Abubakar Mashi DG, NiMet Katsina/North-West

84. Abdulsalam Mohammed Rector, NCAT Kogi/North-Central

85. Akinola Olateru Commissioner, AIB South-West

86. Abubakar Rasheed EO, NUC North

87. Abdulkadir Umar ES, PPPRA North

88. Elias Nwalem RMAFC Ebonyi/South-East

89. Marilyn Amobi NBET South-East

90. Faisal Shuaib ES, NPHCDA Nasarawa/North-Central

91. Umaru Ibrahim NDIC Kano/North-West

92. Uja Tor Uja NCPC Benue/North-Central

93. Isa Pantami DG, NITDA Gombe/North-East

94. Patience Oniha DG, DMO Edo/South-South

95. Nnenna Akajemeli CEO, SERVICOM Imo/South-East

96. Folashade Joseph MD, NAIC Kogi/North-Central

97. Cecilia Gaya DG, ASCON Adamawa/North-East

98. Luci Ajayi ES, LITFMB Edo/South-South

99. Lanre Gbajabiamila DG, NLRC Lagos/South-West

100. Usman Abubakar Chair, NRC Katsina/North-West

Adesanya-Davies says, “Therefore, we are currently following very keenly with interest the appointments that would be made by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu on his assumption of office.

The reactions of cross-sections of the Nigerian population both in Nigeria and overseas would be of vital importance as appointments are concerned.

“We hope Tinubu would be able to vividly correct Buhari’s old lopsided appointment script that majority favoured the Fulani Muslim North and make all Nigerians happy once again,” she added.

We would recall, “Nigeria is a country with six (6) geopolitical zones created during the regime of President Ibrahim Babaginda. The lists of the geopolitical zones with their states include:

South West: it consist of 6 states which includes Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo state.
South East: it consist of 5 states which includes Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo state.
South South: it consist of 6 states which includes Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo and Rivers state.

The North Central: it is also called middles belt and consist of 6 states which includes Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau,and FCT (Federal Capital Territory Abuja and environ) inclusive.
North East: it consist of 6 states which includes Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe state.
North West : it consist of 7 states which includes Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara state.