Despite apparent nepotism, Buhari insists appointments have been based on equity, fairness

In clear breach of Nigeria Police Act which he signed, President Buhari sidestepped the only qualified police officer, who is from the South, to appoint a northern Inspector General.

Chukwuemeka Ayomide • June 21, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari (Photo Credit – Garba Shehu facebook page)

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said his administration’s appointments have been guided by equity and fairness; despite constantly blocking qualified individuals of the southern region from holding vital positions in his government.

Mr Buhari has been heavily criticised by the Nigerians for his lopsided appointments, a recent of such is the appointment of the Inspector General of Police.

Peoples Gazette had in an exclusive report in December, detailed how President Buhari engineered a desperate and sectional move to hedge out Moses Jitoboh a southerner from being the next Inspector General of Police after Mohammed Adamu.

Section Seven of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 has positioned Mr Jitoboh, 50, as the only qualified officer to become the next inspector-general out of all the 24 AIGs currently in the Nigeria Police Force.

However, Mr Buhari in a bid to elongating the northern grip on the nation’s security architecture illegally extended the tenure of Mr Adamu, subsequently appointing Usman Alkali Baba another northerner after much pressure.

The president has been warned repeatedly to desist from his clearly sectional agenda of packing federal agencies with people of his region.

National voices including Professor Wole Soyinka, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe have also warned separately and repeatedly that Mr Buhari’s nepotism could further worsen the country’s fragile cohesion as it would inflame ethnic and religious sentiments.

Despite being regularly criticised for apparent inertia and nepotism, Mr Buhari represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, at an ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Conference in Abuja said his administration’s appointments have been guided by equity and fairness.

“We have removed age barrier with the passage of the Not Too Young to Run Bill and appointment has been guided by equity and fairness,” Mr Buhari said.

Speaking further, Mr Buhari promised to implement resolutions reached by the APC youths after the convention, adding that the conference will have a visible impact on the administration.