THE FALLACY OF THE ALLEGED LOPSIDED APPOINTMENTS OF HEAD OF SECURITY AGENGIES BY PRESIDENT BUHARI

The Social Media and indeed the Nigerian political space has been aflamed in recent days by allegations by some people from a section of the country against President Buhari over perceived lopsideness in his appointments of Service Chiefs and Heads of the various Security agencies in the Country.

They have reeled off a list of 17 "Security related" agencies, out of which they claim, 14 are headed by Northerners and only 3 by Southerners in support of their allegation.

Since this latest round of allegation made it to the public space, I have painstakingly and objectively listened to and read the views of  those paddling the allegation as well as that of  those debunking it. I have also carried out an independent research of the subject matter and have come to the conclusion that the allegation not only smacks of mischief but that it also exposes the hypocrisy of those making the allegation.

I herein share some of my findings and the premises upon which my conclusion is based.

1. The list of the 17 supposedly Security agencies include agencies and organisations whose classification as "Security or Paramilitary agencies" by those alleging can at best be describe as mischievous and misinformed.

For example, the list includes such agencies like EFCC, The Federal Fire Service and NEMA and I ask the question, are these agencies agencies Military or Paramilitary establishments? I stand to be corrected, but the answer is an emphatic NO.

Assuming but not conceding that they are Paramilitary in nature as claimed, why include EFCC that is headed by a Northern and exclude ICPC that is headed by Southerner? Since both agencies carry out similar functions.

2. Long before the emergence of President Buhari as President and Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, we as Nigerians had agreed among ourselves that fairness entails the oscillation of every Public Office (Both elected and appointed) between the North and the South. In essence, as much as is practically possible, at the end of the tenure of Southerner as the head of a particular agency for example. a Northerner should take over the headership of the agency and vice versa.

It is therefore only proper to pass the appointments complained against through the prism of the principle of oscillation of Public Offices between the North and the South which Nigerians have long agreed guarantees fairness.

* The Chief of Defence Staff - Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olanishaki (A southerner) took over from Air Chief Marshall Alex Badah (A Northerner)

*The chief of Army Staff - Gen. Tukur Buratai (A Northerner) took over Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah (A Southerner)

*The Chief of Naval Staff - Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (A Southerner) took over from Vice Admiral Usman O. Jibrin (A Northerner)

*The of Air Staff - Air Marshal Abuakar Sadique (A Northerner) took over from Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (A Southerner)

*The Acting Inspector General of Police - Mr. Ibrahim Idris (A Northerner) took over from Mr. Solomon Arase (A Southerner)

*The Director of DSS - Col. Mamman Daura(Rtd) (A Northerner) took over from Mr. Ita Ekpenyong (A Southerner)

* The Minister of Defence - Maj- Gen. Mansur Dan - Ali (A Northerner) took over from Sen. Obanikoro (A Southener)

*The Commandant General of  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps- Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu (A Northerner) took over from Dr. Ade Abolurin (A Southerner).

*The Controller General of Prison - Mr. Ahmed Ja'afaru (A Northerner) took over from Dr. Peter Ezenwa Ekpendu (A Southerner)