Appointments: Buhari’s Nepotism Worse Than Tinubu’s, Sen Shehu Sani Scolds Northern Leaders

Senator Shehu Sani, a human rights activist has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to tow the line of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari in appointment people into his government.

According to him, the former president appointed predominantly people from his state Katsina into key government positions, saying Tinubu should not follow his wrong steps.

The senator however slammed those criticising Tinubu, particularly from the northern part of the country, who he said kept quite when their son Buhari was in power, appointing mainly persons from the north into his government.

“The DG of SSS, Daura was from Katsina state, the DG of NIA, Rufai was from Katsina state, the MPA, my sister Hadiza, she’s from Katsina state, Director of Federal Mortgage Bank, Katsina state, SMEDAN, Katsina state, FRCN Katsina state, NIMET Katsina state, NIMASA Katsina state, Railway Corporation, Katsina state, all those things, you don’t talk of Chairman of federal civil service about 30 (of them) We don’t have time, I can state all of them. All from Katsina state,” he said.

Sani also listed other positions occupied by northerners under the administration of Buhari.

He said, “At a certain time in this country, the Controller General of Immigration, which is Babendede, is from northern Nigeria. Customs, Hamid Ali is from northern Nigeria, Civil Defense, Audi is from northern Nigeria, Chairman of Federal Road Safety Corps is from northern Nigeria. Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba is from northern Nigeria, the Chief of Nava staff, the Chief of Army Staff, they’re all from northern Nigeria. We have had all these things here, and you have never had any person from the south of part of the country raising issues.”

Recall that Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno North recently accused President Tinubu of nepotism, accusing him of giving key positions in his government to people from the south west, where the president hails from.

Senator Sani spoke on Channels Television Politics today programme on Friday, amidst criticism against President Tinubu’s recent appointments.

The president has been accused of appointing people from a section of the country into his government, the administration has however denied the allegation, saying appointments had been made based on merit and in line with the constitution.

But speaking Senator Sani said Tinubu should avoid following the ‘evil’  steps of Buhari.

“I will say that President Asiwaju should also be very careful. He shouldn’t toe that line because it has been in African political geography that each time a person takes over position of office, he fills the major positions with people from his ethnic group and it is happening everywhere,” Sani said.