Group flays Buhari over new DSS appointment

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum on Thursday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being sectional in the appointment of Nigerians into key security posts in the country.

In a statement released by the group, it said the replacement of the Acting DG of DSS, Mr. Matthew Seiyefa with Yusuf Magaji Bichi from Kano is an outright disregard for the conditions precedent for a united Nigeria.

“The I-don’t-care and in-your-face attitude of the President in restoring Nigeria security architecture to the provocative situation of having 16 out of 17 service chiefs from his corner of the country is a clear demonstration of the fact that Nigeria for General Muhammadu Buhari is no more than his section of Nigeria and the resources and the constitutionally mandatory votes from other sections of the country.”

The statement which was signed Chief E.K Clark from the South South, Chief Ayo Adebanjo from the SouthWest, Chief John Nwodo for Southeast and Dr. Bitrus Pogu from the Middle Belt, said since 1960, Nigeria has never had a leader more sectional, narrow, parochial, and tribalistic like Buhari who has divided Nigeria into “97 % and 5%”.

“We have looked critically at the profiles of the Acting DG who was removed and the one Buhari just appointed and it is crystal clear that Bichi does not come with any experience close to that of Seiyefa. The only qualification for this appointment is therefore only the rabid nepotism of the President which has seen him always masking personal and sectional interest as “national interest.”

The group said the new DSS boss is an out-of-the -system man drafted by Lawan Daura in the days of his nepotism rule at the DSS.

“The next six most senior persons in line of succession at the DSS after Seiyefa are from our findings are all southerners which may explain why the President picked a man who already retired from the DSS to lead because of ethnic affinity.

“That the President went ahead to deep himself further into the cocoon of ethnic irredentism in making this insensitive appointment shows clearly that he does not care a hoot about the unity, cohesion and oneness of Nigeria.

We reject this appointment and we do not shy in telling Mr. President that he no longer pretends that the country is one under him,” the statement reads.

The group said in the last few days, there have been fears coming from the international community about the dangers that would come the way of Nigeria if Buhari returns for another term, adding that with the President latest action, Nigeria is not safe in the remainder of his first term.