COAS: Buhari Does Not Believe In One Nigeria —Huriwa

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, May 28th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, on Thursday, berated President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing a northerner as the Chief of Army Staff yet again.

The National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement stated that the President’s refusal to appoint a COAS from the South-Eastern zone of the country indicates, he does not believe in the unity of the country.

It could be recalled that Buhari on Thursday appointed Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff after the tragic death of the former COAS, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash last Friday.

Reacting to the latest appointment of a new COAS, HURIWA in a statement berated the President for not distributing his appointments across all the socio-ethnic interests in the country.

The statement partly read, “The shameless, nepotistic decision of President Buhari to continue in the illegal and unconstitutional abuses of appointing only Hausa/Fulani citizens into juicy Internal Security positions in breach of the Nigerian Constitutional provision of Federal Character is despicable, reprehensible and totally toxic.”

The group also accused Buhari of violating his constitutional oath of office by his aversion to respect the Federal Character principle.

“Buhari’s refusal to appoint an officer from the South-East of Nigeria as the Army Chief of Staff even when he is the most senior of the Major Generals further solidify his notoriety as someone who does not believe in one Nigeria,” HURIWA stated.