President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday defended the
appointment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),
Babachir David Lawal and five others.
The appointments,
announced on Thursday, had sparked reactions, with reports of complaints in
some quarters that they tilted in favour of the North.
Appointed alongside Lawal
were Alhaji Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to the President; Col. Hameed Ibrahim
Ali (rtd), Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS); Mr. Kure
Martins Abeshi, Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service;
Senator Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National
Assembly Matters (Senate) and Hon. Suleiman Kawu, SSA to the President on
National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
The Special Adviser to
the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, yesterday assured
Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari’s political appointments will balance
out soon.
Adesina spoke on a radio
programme, Political Platform, on RayPower 100.5FM, monitored by The Nation in Lagos.
Adesina said the
President was aware of federal character and expressed the belief that there
will be balance by the time he makes more appointments in September.
While admitting that
appointments are Buhari’s prerogative, the presidential spokesman also said
that nobody can fault the fact that those that have been named so far were
appointed on merits.
He also said it would not
be fair to blame the President for positions that were filled as a result of
elections, like those of the National Assembly and appointments made on the
basis of next in command, like those of the acting Chairman of the Independent
Electoral Commission and Chief Justice of Nigeria.
He assured all
stakeholders that the President would keep to his promise of appointing the
remaining aides and ministers in September.
Adesina said: “Nobody can
fault the fact that the persons appointed were appointed on merits.
“In terms of the spread,
the President has prerogative to appoint and he knows there is federal character.
I am sure that there will be balance in the future.
“These are still early
days. At the end of the day, we will have a balance.
“By the time more
appointments are made, it will balance out. The President is trying to get the
very best of Nigerians. The issue of key positions and no key positions should
not be the issue.
“He gave a deadline of
September for the appointment of ministers, and he will keep to it.”
-Thenation
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