Elders from the Southern part and Middle Belt of the
country have condemned the appointment of Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the new
Director General of the Department of State Service, DSS.
They described his appointment as an act of nepotism
on the part of President Muhammadu Buhari, whom they accuse of making his
personal and sectional interest “national interest.”
They argued that it was obvious that Bichi’s
appointment was based on the section of the country he comes from than his
qualification for the post.
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| New DSS Southern, middle belt elders |
The elders said Bichi (Kano) did not come near the
removed Acting Director General, Mr Matthew Seiyefa (South South), in terms of
experience and rank in the DSS.
“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 elders said.
It would be recalled that the former DSS boss, Lawal
Daura, was sacked following the laying of siege to the National Assembly by
operatives of the DSS.
He was almost immediately replaced by Seiyefa as
acting DSS DG being the next most senior person.
However, on Thursday, President Buhari approved the
appointment of Bichi as the new DG.
The statement issued by the elders from the South
and Middle Belt condemning the appointment was signed by Chief Edwin Clark
(South South), Chief Ayo Adebanjo (South West), Chief John Nwodo
(South East) and Dr Bitrus Pogu (Middle Belt). It reads in full:
Appointment of new DG DSS: Buhari’s
vote-of-no-confidence in One Nigeria
The outright disregard for the conditions precedent
for a united Nigeria and an inclusive country which President Buhari has become
well known for was taken to a new height this evening with the removal of the
Acting DG of DSS, Mr. Matthew Seiyefa and replacement with Mr Yusuf Magaji
Bichi from Kano.
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.
Since 1960, Nigeria has never had a leader more
sectional, narrow, parochial and tribalistic like the current President who
went on a global stage to divide 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.”
Besides, Bichi is an out-of-the -system man drafted
by Mr 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 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.
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 Mr President returns for another term. With his latest action, we
add that the country is not safe in the remainder of his first term.
Lastly we ask Mr President: Are we still one county?
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