When Nigerian screamed and shouted to high heavens that President Muhammadu Buhari is on a Northern Agenda, many people thought we were just hating the President or opposing his candidatureship for opposition sake.
“When Buhari first Northernised the Defence Sector with his appointment of Northerners into offices of National Security Adviser, Minister of Defence, Chief of Army Staff, and DG DSS, some of us raised alarm that the President has an hidden agenda but we were tagged wailers.
After he was through with the Defense sector, Buhari moved his ‘shop’ to the Internal Security/Interior/paramilitary sector with the appointment of only Muslim Northerners to occupy offices of Minister of Justice/Attorney-General, Minister of Interior (Interior + Police Affairs), CG Customs, CG Immigration, CG NSCDC, CG Prison Service and more recently, the IG of Police.
While we were wailing on that, President Buhari, a Fulani man from the North has completed his onslaught on the Oil/Petroleum sector from which we derive most of our earning.
As part of his plot, he deliberately relegated Dr Ibe Kachikwu from the influential office of GMD NNPC to the post of a ‘junior’ Minister of Petroleum resources, while he assume the office of substantive minister in the ministry. The significance is that Mr Kachukwu will only act according to his dictates while he carries the full responsibility of the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
Earlier yesterday, Buhari announced a new Board of NNPC of nine members. Of the Nine member board, Buhari not only ‘returned’ the GMD NNPC to the North, he also appointed Eight Northerners into the Board leaving south with ONLY one slot.
The northerners include;
President Muhammadu Buhari – Chairman of NNPC Board (represented by Dr Ibe Kachikwu); Dr Maikanti Kaccalla Baru (North) as the GMD NNPC; Permanent Secretary Min of Finance Alhaji Mahmoud Dutse(North)- Member NNPC Board; Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari(North)- Member; Dr Tajuddeen Umar (North)- Member; Mallam Mohammed Lawal(North)- Member; and Mallam Yusuf Lawal(North) – Member, Dr John M.A. Thomas(North)- Member.
The only southerner is Dr Pius O. Akinyelure (South)- Member.
For avoidance of doubt, the power of the Chairman of NNPC board which Dr Ibe Kachikwu will act for Buhari, is limited to presiding over board meetings without wielding any significant influence, unlike the GMD NNPC or Petroleum Minister that has a lot of influence in the sector.
We must also bear in mind that the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources Alhaji Jamila Shu’ara, is also from the North.
In other words, the Minister of Petroleum is from the North(Buhari), PS Petroleum Resources from the north, GMD NNPC from the North, and SIX out of Nine NNPC board members are Northerners.
President Buhari by this appointment has confirmed our suspicion and vindicated us that he is out to further divide the good people of the south against the hardworking people of the North.
The action of Mr President is highly condemnable and does not represent that of a statesman that desires Nigeria unity.”
I pray Nigerians survive this onslaught on our unity and collective aspiration by Mr President –
