Buhari: North lost right to complain over Tinubu's appointments - Northern Forum

Tinubu has come in for criticisms from some northern leaders who accused the President of favouring his region, the South-West, in the appointments made so far.

One such criticism came from controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who attacked Tinubu during one of his recent sermons, where he claimed that Southern Christians are the ones holding key positions in the current government. 

He also alleged that the President used the North to get the Presidency only to pursue an agenda aimed at neutralising the region's political influence, threatening that Tinubu would not get a second term in office.

These accusations against Tinubu bear a stark resemblance to the ones levelled against the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari was labelled nepotic due to the skewed nature of his appointments, which largely favoured the Muslim-dominated north.

For its part, the NYLF believed the incumbent, while trying to correct the imbalance in appointment created by his predecessor, has also widened the gap.

Addressing the media in Abeokuta, Ogun State, over the weekend, the forum's National President, Elliot Afiyo, argued that Buhari created a lopsided appointment gap of 80:20 for the north and the south during his administration.

Afiyo, however, appealed to Tinubu to halt further widening of the gap because the country can't afford to continue in error.

“Since independence, when you look at the appointment by Tafawa Balewa you will agree with me that it was 40/60 north-south and subsequent appointment by General Yakubu Gowon was trying to narrow the gap, and even in the democratic setting in 1999 under the leadership of President (Olusegun) Obasanjo. That is why I always say he is my father because he has a nationalistic thinking," he stated.

Ariyo explained, “But Buhari came in and created the gap to be 20/80. And even the northerners that they were saying that Buhari appointed were not northerners per se. There were a few cliques, the North itself didn’t benefit from it, but we are now seeing the appointments by President Tinubu are tilting towards the South West. He narrowed the gap that Buhari created, but the gap he is creating now is also widening.

“I would say northerners don’t have the right to complain that the appointments or placements are lopsided. We don’t have the right to complain.

“But as an advanced citizen, I ask: can we continue like this? If we get an Igbo President, he will appoint Igbos. Where are we going as a nation? So, there is a need for us to balance it.”