There is no doubt that the appointments made so far by President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to generate controversy. Antagonists of the President’s appointments have accused the president of considering people from the northern part of the country at the expense of the southern part.

Prominent ethnic, socio and political groups including; Ohanaeze, Afenifere, Odu’a People’s congress (OPC), Northern Elders’ Council (NEC) have condemned the appointments and called it sectional just as the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a section of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) chastised the president. The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) on its part accused the president of political corruption.

The groups opined that out of the 31 appointments made so far only 7 were from the southern part of the country thereby accusing the president of abandoning the federal character principle of the Nigerian constitution.

Credit:Punch Newspaper

Section 14 (3) and (4) of the Nigerian constitution on Federal Character states:

(3) 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 to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.

(4) The composition of the Government of a State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the people of the Federation.

An Abuja based lawyer, Mr. Marcel Dim-Udebuani has accused President Buhari of breaching the constitution and subsequently dragged him before a Federal High Court in Abuja over what he called “lop-sidedness” in key appointments made by the present administration.

The Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) have also condemned the appointments made so far by Buhari. President of the group, Mrs Ebere Ifendu stated that no woman has been appointed by the president so far except the acting Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) boss, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari who took over from Professor Attahiru Jega in acting capacity. She wonders whether the action of Mr President suggests that women were not competent to be considered for appointments.

The ruling APC, aides and supporters of the president have defended his action saying Buhari considered competency when he made the appointments. The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun also added his voice to those defending the action of the president by saying that the appointments will balance itself subsequently.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, while reacting to the uproar generated by the appointments said the president will balance the appointments by September when he appoints more people. He said that the president considered merits when he made the appointments. He added that Buhari was aware of the Federal character principle.

Critics of the president’s appointments have argued that it was wrong to say that merits was used while making the appointments as it simply implies that the northerners are more competent than the Southerners. They also opined that the remaining appointments of ministers and ambassadors were not the prerogative of the president as it is compulsory for every state to produce a minister and ambassador so making such appointments should be seen as doing a state or section of the country a favour. They argued that such appointments should not be used as a yardstick to cover the lop-sidedness in the appointments already made.

The critics quoted section of the Nigerian constitution to dismiss the notion that appointment of ministers can be used to balance the appointments. Section 147(3) states; Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:-provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State.

Nigerians from all works of life at home and abroad await the next set of appointments to see whether the issue raised balances so as to give every section of the country a belonging.

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Was President Buhari’s appointments based on competency or ethnicity?