Speaking on a television programme monitored in Lagos, Adebanjo said Buhari should know he is not a president for the North but Nigeria’s president.
“What we are saying is that you need to consider the different cultures and ethnic groups for the purpose of bringing us together to ensure that we are all one. They said the appointments were based on merit and so concentrated everything in the north. Are they saying that there are no people who are more qualified in terms of merits in the entire southern part of the country?” he asked.
On August 27, President Buhari appointed Babachir David Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff (CoS) Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.), Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service and Kure Martin Abeshi, Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service.
The president also appointed Senator Ita S.J. Enang, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Hon. Suleiman A. Kawu, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
These appointments have been trailed by criticisms and particularly based on the premise that Buhari, who heads the Executive Council is a northerner, the Senate President and the Speaker who head the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly respectively, are northerners, just as the head of Nigeria’s judiciary, Justice Mahmud Mohammed is also a northerner.
The new SGF and CoS are also from the North, a development which has set leaders from the south against Buhari’s administration.
He urged the president to retrace his steps and correct the imbalance if he really wants to lead a strong and united country.