Buhari sued over lopsided Appointments

[Calllaris]

Link: http://www.premiumti...pointments.html

An Abuja-based lawyer, Dim-Udebuani Marcel, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari over recent appointments made by the president.Mr. Buhari has been accused of favouring a section of the country against the others in the appointments he has so far made.In a suit filed on August 31, with number FHC/ABJ/CS/732/2015, Mr. Marcel accused the president of marginalizing the South East geopolitical zone, which has not received any appointment from the Buhari government yet.

The president and the Federal Character Commission are joined as defendants.

Mr. Marcel’s counsel, Jude Ifesemen, said the plaintiff wants the court to determine whether the 25 important appointments made by President Buhari were done against the spirit of constitutionally guaranteed federal character.The court will decide “whether the exclusion of South East geo-political zone in the 25 appointments made so far by the 1st defendant is unconstitutional and divisive?” Mr. Marcel said.

He also sought to determine whether there are no qualified or corrupt free persons from the South East region.The court will as well decide “Whether the 2nd defendant has in the circumstance of this case, discharged its statutory duties under paragraph 8(1), (a), 'b' and ('C) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)”.

Mr. Marcel also prayed the court for an order compelling the president to reverse the appointments made so far and to observe and comply with the principle of Federal Character as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

He also sought an order of court compelling the Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Oba Abdul-raheem to invoke paragraph 8(1) ('C) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 constitution and order of court declaring all the appointments so far made null and void for violating the federal character.

The suit was supported with 23 paragraph affidavit deposed to by the plaintiff.A date is yet to be fixed for hearing on the case.

Mr. Buhari has come under fire for what many see as lopsided appointments with more slots apparently going to the northern region. The president is from Katsina state in Nigeria’s northern region.

[Abystacy]

Im still going to stand my ground on the fact that PMB is not the right man to lead Nigeria. I know some anti me may want to oppose my opinion. Oh well I say it as I say it. With the way things are going with the so called change, although it's too soon too judge but it doesnt change the fact that Buhari seem not to have a plan nd with the way this administration is going, one can believe that Buhari is on a revenge mission! Is this truly the beauty of democracy anyways?. Our judiciary system is wack. I'm still yet to understand Buhari's mission and if marginalisation,despoticism,nepotism,is all part of the change. Buhari is not gonna appear before any court. As he sees himself above reproach.

[Calllaris]

Buhari Breaks Silence Over lopsided appointments’, says Chibok girls dispersed

President Muhammadu Buhari has defended his recent appointments criticised by many Nigerians as lopsided, saying he nominated people he could trust, and who had worked with him for years.

The president said the Constitution allows him full control over the choice of his closest officials, and made it clear the appointments also served as reward for those who remained loyal to him for years, who refused to be lured by power or material wealth.

Mr. Buhari made the comments in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday. It was his first direct response to the controversy generated by his first round of appointments.

The president also spoke on Chibok girls, military gains against Boko Haram and his administration’s war against corruption.

Mr. Buhari faced public outcry two weeks ago after naming the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, his Chief of Staff, head of Immigration and Customs, among others.Critics slammed the decision as “lopsided”, as it became clear Mr. Buhari’s 30 nominations so far lack regional and gender balance.

An overwhelming majority of the president’s senior appointees are from the northern region of the country, where he comes from, and at least two are from his native Katsina State.The South East has no appointee yet.The president’s aides had earlier assured that subsequent appointments would ensure balance.Asked by the BBC about the controversy, the president said, “This is the nature of Nigerian politics”.“If they will do justice to me, as an elected Nigerian president, let them look at the Constitution a Nigerian president works with, there are people who will closely work with me that don’t need to be taken to the Senate,” he said of his critics, according to a translation of the BBC interview, by Daily Trust.

“If I select people whom I know quite well in my political party, whom we came all the way right from the APP, CPC and APC, and have remained together in good or bad situation, the people I have confidence in and I can trust them with any post, will that amount to anything wrong? I have been with them throughout our trying times, what then is the reward of such dedication and suffering?

“They did not defect because of positions, they did not involve themselves in the pursuit of personal gains, and they accepted their fate throughout our trying moments. What is wrong if I make you the secretary (of the federal government) because I have confidence that things will go normal?”

The president said Chibok girls, who were abducted in April 2014 by Boko Haram, had been dispersed and were kept in units at different locations.He said many of the girls had been forced to convert to Islam.

“They have scattered them, and are being guarded at dispersed locations. Most of the girls are Christians and were forced to embrace Islam. And the sect’s cruel leaders have married some of the girls, obviously against their wish. Others have been left to practice their religion but their condition could hardly be ascertained".

“Both ground and air security personnel in the Sambisa forest could spot where the girls are, but since the insurgents have also kidnapped housewives and other women, no one could say whether they mixed them or how they dispersed them,” the president said.

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Editors note: Na wao! I wonder if it is professional to say its a reward 'parole' to loyalists?

Then it seems to many quarters, GMB is equally incoherent and discharging about the now 'seemingly distracting' 'chibok girls'

[Hawken]

Nor be only reward, na dividend. I never liked this guy.

[dequeen]

Change mu ke so, change! Lol...

[Abystacy]

Seriously. . Saying that Chibok girls are dispersed simply means that there is no way they can be found again. But how did he know this and who told him? If I can't trust him with any bit of honestly from day 1 to his mumbo jumbo of assets declaration, how can I trust him on this? Then how on earth can I even trust that these "ghost girls" of Chibok who no one knows or have seen (but everyone are taking about them) even existed in the first place. This utterance about the Chibok Girls is to warn those who are still waiting for the next episode of the drama that the script writer is now dead and the movie has ended. On th issue of recent appointment, Buhari ought to know that he is the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Not just his ethnic group, political associates or friends. Buhari, should be broad-minded, that's the only way he can be a better president for a country divided along tribal, ethnic and religious lines. This his pathetic submission of defence, is just too low for a president.