The federal government has defended all the appointments it made so far, saying they were not lopsided but complied with the Federal Character Principle as enshrined in the constitution.
The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation said this in a statement by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen, on Friday in Abuja.
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“The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) wishes to address recent insinuations circulating, particularly on social media, regarding the composition of Federal appointments.
“The government categorically refutes claims of lopsidedness and emphasizes its unwavering commitment to the principles of fairness, equity, and national unity. All appointments are made in strict adherence to federal character principle, as enshrined in Section 14 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Altered),” the statement said.
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Mr Imohiosen said President Bola Tinubu believes strongly in the unity of Nigeria and is guided by the ideals of fairness and tenets of justice in all appointments.
He noted that the administration is dedicated to ensuring that all regions and demographics of the country are adequately represented in its institutions and agencies.
“The OSGF, therefore, urges the public to disregard unfounded speculations and rely on official government sources for accurate information.
“The government remains steadfast in its pursuit of a prosperous, united and equitable Nigeria, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of this Administration. Pokers of embers of hate and disunity who carry tendentious and unfounded allegations should never be taken seriously by Nigerians,” Mr Imohiosen said.
The OSGF statement comes a day after the Presidency released a list of federal government’s appointments.
On Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Sunday Dare, posted a list of appointees on X.
According to the list, of the six geopolitical zones, the North-west has the largest number of appointees with 152 followed closely by South-west which has 29 presidential appointees.
The South-east region is at the bottom of the list, with 16 appointees.
Although Mr Dare did not explain why the list was released, it may not be unconnected with the accusation of nepotism against President Tinubu.
Some Nigerians have repeatedly said the president has favoured his zone, South-west in the appointments made since assuming office in May 2023.
Last Monday, Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume criticised Mr Tinubu for alleged non-compliance with the federal character principle in political appointments.
The senator accused the president of violating the constitutional requirement for balanced representation in government appointments.
“The figures are there. You can look at the figures. I sent you one. I sent you figures. It’s not that I’m just making accusations. And it’s not that I’m saying, well, the president has no right to do that kind of thing.
“But it’s a constitutional provision. Section 13, I mean, Section 14 (3) of the constitution is very, very clear,” he said.
The senator added that the current appointments, including those of the NNPCL, did not align with the federal character principle.
“When you look at it vis-a-vis the appointments made so far, and there are political appointments, the constitution is very clear.
“And all I am saying is to call the attention of Mr President to such infractions so that it can be corrected; otherwise, you know, these things can boomerang at a certain period of time”, Mr Ndume stated
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