Buhari’s Self-Defence On Appointments, Infrastructure

 President Muhammadu Buhari has had motive lately, to defend his six-year tenure in opposition to accusation of nepotism and evident discrimination in opposition to sections of the country that he was elected and on oath to govern ‘‘without worry or favour.’’ 

The president is quoted to say via a high official of his government that ‘‘so far, all the policy initiatives, tasks and even appointments via this administration have been guided by fairness and inclusiveness. There is virtually no part of the country that has not been impacted positively in the place of infrastructure, agriculture and economic support initiative based on [the] peculiarities of the regions…’’.

It is unfortunate certainly that the president of the republic feels compelled to defend himself on an issue that should not even occur at all in a well-run constitutional democracy. 

Buhari, in his ability as the president of Nigeria, is the only elected public officer with the broadest nationwide mandate to serve the people. This given, a president, in his high office, stands on a unique pedestal and bears a correspondingly exceptional duty to meet national expectations.

On the strength of the copious provisions of the Constitution upon which his democratically elected authorities is legally rooted, a president of Nigeria has his responsibilities and obligations defined and properly cut out for him. 

In this context, the very first responsibility of Buhari’s government is to ensure, at all times and at all places, ‘‘the safety and welfare of the people.’’ The constitutional procedure to this extensive end is well described variously in sections and sub-sections beneath the ‘‘Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy.’’ 

The composition of the Government of the Federation is supposed to ‘‘reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote countrywide harmony and additionally to command national loyalty, thereby making sure that there is no predominance of individuals from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional corporations in that government or in any of its agencies.’’