Fear grips Southern heads of parastatals, agencies over Buhari’s agenda

By Ezugwu Obinna |

There is an ongoing apprehension among heads of government agencies and parastatals of southern extraction over what they perceive to be a deliberate policy by the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that Northerners head majority of government establishments in the country, even as the new administration is presently reviewing the activities of these parastatals during the past administration of Goodluck Jonathan.

This fear, Hallmark learnt from concerned individuals, is not unconnected with the pattern of Buhari’s appointments so far which has notably, been generating condemnations from various Southern interest groups for being too pro-North and not in line with the underlying principles of federal character and fairness.

Some top Southern personalities in government establishments who spoke to Hallmark noted that they were keeping their fingers crossed and at the same time, bracing up for whatever comes their way.

“No one knows what the future holds. We are just nervous, there is that air of uncertainty, but let’s just wait and see how events develop.” An official of NHIS told Hallmark.

Of all however, those whose positions are under obvious threat are those who former president Jonathan appointed in the twilight of his administration. The appointments had, it would be recalled, generated controversies with the APC accusing Jonathan of setting traps for Buhari.

Only recently, a report by the Ahmed Joda led transition committee urged the new president to immediately terminate all appointments made by Jonathan in the last nine months. This implies that even those who had been appointed before the 2015 elections may be affected in the anticipated sweep by Burari.

For those appointed after the election however, their case is almost a closed one. A top official of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) who spoke to Hallmark recently with regard to the commission’s newly appointed chairman, Mr. Peter Obi, the immediate past governor of Anambra State noted that there was every possibility that the former governor would be sacked by Buhari any moment.

“Of course, that has to be expected. You know there was a bit of controversy surrounding his appointment, and I guess he knows himself that he may not be spared,” the official who craved anonymity said.

Beyond this category of people nonetheless, there are also deep concerns that other officials from the south who rose through the ranks to head their agencies, and may have had little or nothing to do with the former president might not be spared. A fear that was further ignited by the recent sacking of the Director General of the Department for State Security Service (DSSS), Ita Ekpenyong and his subsequent replacement by Lawal Musa Daura.

Daura’s appointment is meanwhile has been interpreted by some individuals as significant in a number of ways and could just tell which direction the president is going. Some noted for instance that while there had been a practice of new presidents to appoint the most senior official of a department even when they do not wish to work with an existing head, Buhari went out of his way to recall Daura who had already retired.

Daura has meanwhile reportedly swung into action by suspending promotions made earlier under Jonathan. Buhari has according to recent reports approved reversal of all promotions approved by Jonathan in the DSS from March 1, 2015, prompting speculations of possible witch-hunt. The report also has it that Daura has demoted the agency’s spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar and her scholarship to do a PhD course in the UK suspended.

“These are certainly unusual times,” an official of the Federal Inland Revenue Service whose Acting Executive Chairman, Samuel Ogungbesan was appointed not long ago by Jonathan told Hallmark. “No one knows what will happen next.”

Another appointment that has equally thrown up controversies is that of Mrs. Amina Bala Zarari who was named as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as soon as Prof. Attahiru Jega stepped aside and handed over to Mohammed Wali. The argument of those who oppose her appointment is that the president should have allowed someone who has been a part of the system to stay in charge at least until the remaining local government and outstanding governorship elections are conducted. Her choice was thus sharply interpreted as part of a larger plan to place Northerners in strategic places by Buhari.

“Wali is competent in every sense of the word to conduct the next local government election which is not far away from now, but Buhari replaced him in a bid to manipulate the election, and it’s obvious when you consider the speed with which he interfered with the process. There is nothing wrong with Wali, look at his profile, he has functioned in INEC for a long time and he has the experience. I don’t know where this woman is coming from and how much experience she has, she needs to begin to study the process. There is an obvious difference between someone who has been within an institution for a period of time and someone coming from nowhere,” said Robert Okoroji, a chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)

Also of note is the appointment of Ahmed Idris from Kano state as the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), making him another Northerner to hold a high profile portfolio in Buhari’s administration. It was gathered that following the resignation of Jonah Otunla as AGF, the Head of Service of the Federation, Barrister Danladi Kifasi conducted for prospective candidates for the position after which Adris emerged out of about twenty qualified candidates.

Overall, out of the nine appointments made by Buhari so far, eight have been Northerners with Femi Adesina who was named alongside Garba Shehu as Buhari’s spokesman being the only Southerner appointed. Other appointees of Buhari in this regard are: Mr. Modecai Danteni Baba Ladan who was named as the new Director of the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR). He took over from George Osahon; Lawal Kazure, Chief of Protocol; Lt. Col. Mohammed Abubakar, ADC; Abdulrahman Mani who was named Chief Security Officer (CSO), he has meanwhile been sacked and replaced by Bashir Abubakar for allegedly leaving the much talked about encounter between the president and former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison Madueke as well as under sundry misconducts such as collecting money to grant access to Buhari, and Garba Shehu who alongside Adesina acts as Buhari’s spokesman.

There had also been speculations that the president had appointed Col Hamidu Ali as Chief of Staff which was later refuted by the presidency. Reports had also emerged that some powerful individuals from the core Northern part of the country had begun to strategize on how to take over the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) following the recent dissolution of the corporation’s board by Buhari. The report also revealed that strong individuals from the North have already positioned themselves to take up existing juicy vacancies in the corporation while the remaining less attractive positions may be handed down to people from other parts of the country.

These developments are what have instilled fear in a number of Southerners in top government agencies. Their fear is that it may just be a matter of time before individuals from the North are appointed to replace them, a fear that has been generating reactions in many quarters.

“Buhari does not need to create enmity between himself and other parts of the country with his pattern of appointments. He should not appoint only Northerners into strategic positions, what he has done so far, do not reflect the true composition of the Nigerian state. Nigeria does not belong to the North only.” Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, the Executive Chairman of Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) noted.

Chief Anselem Njoku, a chieftain of the APC in Lagos State in his own reaction, lamented that so far it appears as the president is appointing Northerners into positions but said there was still need to be patient as there are still many appointments to be made.

“So far it appears he is appointing only Northerners which might tempt us to begin say he is favouring the North, but I will not draw that conclusion now and I know that the president himself understands the principle of federal character, I believe he will respect that principle in his appointments. So let’s be patient and not conclude for now,” he said.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of Socio-Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) , Adetokumbo Mumuni explained that there was no law specifying who the president should appoint, but also advised that it was too early to accuse the president of working against the South

”There is no law that says the president must appoint a particular Nigerian from any particular part of the country for any particular position. We will have to wait for the constitution of the various boards and parastatals; that is when we will know whether it is having ethnic or tribal colouration.”

“I think it is too early in the day. He has only made nine appointments; you know the appointments due for the president alone are almost in the region of six thousand. So we cannot determine from nine appointments,” Mumuni said.