Less than a week after President Muhammad Buhari appointed
Calistus Obi, an Igbo by ethnicity, as acting director general/chief
executive of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA), the president today raised eyebrows when he approved the
appointment of Haruna Baba Jauro as the new acting DG of NIMASA. The new
appointee, Mr. Jauro, is from the northeastern state of Yobe and an
Hausa by ethnicity.
Mr. Buhari’s unexplained removal of Mr. Obi and his appointment of
Mr. Jauro has sparked accusations in political circles that the
president was unduly filling major posts with individuals from the
northern part of Nigeria where he hails from.
Mr. Obi, who lost his less-than weeklong job today, is from Anambra
State in southeastern Nigeria. Critics quickly point to the appointment
of Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as acting Chairperson of the Independent
Nationation Electoral Commission (INEC) who remained office despite the
expiration of her tenure since July 21 2015.
A prominent politician from Anambra State, who asked that his name
not be disclosed, told SaharaReporters that he and several other Igbo
figures were troubled by President Buhari’s action on the leadership of
NIMASA.
“Anybody who knows about maritime issues can tell you that [Calistus]
Obi is very knowledgeable,” said the source, a member of the Peoples
Democratic Party. He added, “Why would Mr. President remove him after
just a few days, even though he was appointed in an acting capacity?
What was the hurry in firing him? And it is interesting that Alhaji
Jauro’s appointment is also in acting capacity.”
Another politician from the southwest zone also questioned today’s
presidential appointment. The politician, who belongs to the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC), told SaharaReporters that there was
widespread worry that Mr. Buhari’s appointments so far “have been more
than 90% in favor of northerners and Muslims.”
Last week, speaking at the United Institute of Peace in Washington,
DC, Mr. Buhari had stated that he should not be expected to treat areas
that gave him 97% of their votes the same way as those that gave him
only five percent. After realizing the political implications of his
reckless statement, the Nigerian president made a belated attempt to
correct the faux pas.
A member of President Buhari’s delegation to the US reportedly told
several people in Washington, DC that Mr. Buhari seemed to listen only
to members of his inner circle, led by former Nigerian Defense Minister,
Theophilus Y. Danjuma.
Sahara Reporters
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