Some Northern groups have criticised President Bola Tinubu for the recent appointments of heads of security agencies, alleging that the Southwest dominates the positions.
In the same vein, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who ran against Tinubu during the 2023 election, also criticised the appointments, stating that they abuse the provisions of the constitution and promote separatism.
Recall that last week, Tinubu approved the appointment of new Directors-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS). “The new appointments follow the resignation of the previous NIA and DSS chiefs,” read a statement, titled: ‘President Tinubu appoints new Directors-General of NIA, DSS’, signed by Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale.
For the NIA, Mohammed Mohammed succeeds Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar, who resigned his position as Director-General, while Adeola Ajayi succeeds Yusuf Bichi as the new Director-General of the DSS. The previous agency chiefs, appointed by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018, gave no reason for their resignations.
The aggrieved groups claim that this promotes sectionalism and threatens the foundation of solidarity necessary for a diverse society.
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), which had previously renounced supporting Tinubu during the 2023 general elections, described the recent appointments as a “continuous” marginalisation of other regions, particularly the North, South-East, and South-South. The Forum’s spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said the matter was no longer an oversight, adding that it threatened the foundation of solidarity necessary for a diverse society.
NEF, however, added that it would prioritize someone “more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country” in the 2027 polls.
On his part, Atiku, through his spokesman, Paul Ibe, accused the Tinubu-led administration of introducing separatist policies into the country’s politics, saying that the president is dividing Nigeria along ethnicity and region. “The federal character, as enshrined in our Constitution, is grossly abused by the present administration; the essence of that provision is to ensure that all the regions are represented in government”, Atiku stated.
Atiku further said: “When you exclude other sections of the country from your government, you are inviting separatism and other agitations that are not developmental to the country”.
He added that after elections are over, the business of government is no longer political, as government belongs to all Nigerians irrespective of their region, religion, and political affiliation.
The Coalition of Northern Groups, (CNG), also warned Tinubu to stop regionalism in his appointments, stressing that regional, ethnic, religious, and tribal sentiments are playing a vital role in Nigeria’s democracy. The National Coordinator of the group, Jamilu Charanci, noted that “it is worrisome and disturbing that even as President Tinubu claims to be a promoter of democratic principles, going by his appointment based on regional sentiment, he is reducing himself to the level of playing regional democracy.
“Since President Tinubu decided to make the appointment based on regional sentiment; let him understand that he is undermining Nigeria’s democracy. And Nigerians are watching with keen interest, and there will be a time when Nigeria will feel what President Tinubu did to them”.
