Muhammadu Buhari

Southern leaders condemn appointment of new DG,DSS

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A group under the axis of Southern and Middle Belt Forum has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Thursday appointment of Yusuf Bichi as new Director General of the Directorate of State Services.

In a release signed by Chief Edwin K. Clark, Chief John Nwodo, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Dr. Bitrus Pogu, the group is not happy about the new appointment.

With a heading, “Appointment of new DG DSS: Buhari’s vote-of-no-confidence in One Nigeria,” The group tend not to hide its feeling over the apointment it is obviously not comfortable with.

“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 State,” it reads in part.

Continuing, the group said, “The I-don’t-care and in-your-face attitude of the President in restoring the security architecture of Nigeria 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 no longer count.

“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%”.

The group also insisted that the new DG, DSS does not match the qualifications of the Acting DG previously holding the position.

“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 nepotic 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 dip 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,” the group said.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved group however has rejected the appointment of Bichi which it considered was not done in national interest.

“We reject this appointment and we are not shy in telling Mr. President that he no longer pretends that the country is one under him.”

Asking Buhari whether the nation is still one under his administration, the group concluded that, 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.”

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