The South West geopolitical zone has the highest number of people appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as ministers and aides, an official document obtained by Daily Trust shows.
Colonel Dangiwa Umar (Rtd), a former governor of Kaduna State, on Sunday, alleged that appointments were skewed in favour of the North.
But a credible source faulted the allegation, saying that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) recently released the list of ministers and aides.
The document, seen by our reporter, revealed that people from the South West constitute 33.7 per cent of those engaged by the president as ministers and aides.
This is followed by people from the North West, 19.5 per cent; North East, 15.3 per cent; South South, 12.6 per cent; North Central, 11.1 per cent and South East, 7.9 per cent.
The document further showed that the President appointed 64 people from South West, 37 from the North West, 29 from the North East, 24 from the South South, 21 from the North Central and 15 from the South East.
In summary, 54.2 per cent of the appointees (103) were from the Southern part of the country while the Northern part produced 45.8 per cent (87).
The distribution among the 36 states of the federation and the FCT showed that Ogun is the highest with 17 people excluding Vice President Yemi Osinbajo while Adamawa is second with 14. Kano has 12, while Edo, Ondo, Osun and Katsina states have 8 each.
Those with one include Ebonyi, Imo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Plateau and Zamfara.
Col. Dangiwa warns Buhari of ‘lopsided’ appointments
Colonel Dangiwa (rtd), who was Kaduna State administrator during the military era, accused President Buhari of lopsided appointments, saying chaos has overtaken appointments into government offices based on a visible lopsided approach of the government in favour of certain sections thereby pushing the country into crisis.
“All those who wish you and the country well must mince no words in warning you that Nigeria has become dangerously polarised and risk sliding into crisis on account of your administration’s lopsided appointments, which continues to give undue preference to some sections of the country over others,” he said in a letter yesterday addressed to the president.
He referred to the pending matter of appointment of Chief Judge of the Court Appeal in which Justice Monica Dongban Mensem, a northern Christian, is serving out her second three-month term as acting Chief Judge without firm prospects of confirmation as substantive head as a disturbing situation.
“She appears eminently qualified for appointment as the substantive Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal as she is also said to be highly recommended by the National Judicial Council.
“If she is not and is bypassed in favor of the next in line who happens to be another northern Muslim, that would be truly odd,” he warned.
He further urged the president to pause and reflect on the consequences of failure, be just and fair in managing the country affairs, saying, “Mr. President is either unwilling or incapable of acting on your pledge to belong to everyone – and to no one.
“I hope you would see your way into pausing and reflecting on the very grave consequences of such failure not just to your legacy but to the future of our great country.”
Col. Dangiwa served as a military governor of old Kaduna State between 1985 and 1988 under the regime of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
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