***accuse President of nepotism
By Comfort Olayinka
Arewa Youths Integrity Network (AYIN), a social-political group in the northern region of Nigeria, has criticised the appointment of Mr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi as the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, AGoF.
The group, while berating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing his Lagos kinsman into such a sensitive position of the nation’s treasury, at a time other of his kinsmen are occupying different strategic positions; also accused the President of favouring only Yorubas, at the expense of other tribes in Nigeria.
President Tinubu, through his Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, had on Tuesday, announced Ogunjimi as acting Accountant-General of the Federation.
Ogunjimi’s appointment came barely four months before the retirement of the incumbent AGoF, Dr. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, who has been asked to embark on a pre-retirement leave till March 2025.
Reacting to the appointment on Friday via press statement, Spokesman of AYIN, Barr. James Ismaila, said the Arewa group frowned at such great disregard for the north, adding that, the northerners too are eminently qualified for such appointments.
The group contended that, “appointing another Yoruba man, who is equally due for retirement, to replace an outgoing Yoruba woman in a sensitive position in the nation’s treasury house, is a great disregard and disservice to the north. We at Arewa Youths Integrity Network seriously fault this and we won’t tolerate it”.
“Same way the President appointed his kinsmen into strategic financial positions in the country without remorse, he is brazenly doing it at the nation’s treasury. Does that mean there are no other tribes in Nigeria that could efficiently head those positions? Does that mean the trend would continue like this, if nobody raises alarm?
“We all stood by Asiwaju during the 2023 presidential election, some of us even jettisoned the pressure to make another northerner return to power, because we believe in one Nigeria, we believe that Nigeria does not belong to North alone. It was just in the principles of equity, fairness and justice that we said NO, let someone from the south also sit in Aso Villa, having had our own son for eight years.
“But from the look of things, it appears Asiwaju is not operating in the same principles. It appears he is not looking at the north or other regions as being part of the Nigeria’s project. He sees only his kinsmen as most qualified and suitable for plum jobs.
“Since becoming the President, Asiwaju appointed his kinsmen to head the Central Bank of Nigeria, the EFCC, Ministry of Finance, Board of NNPC, Nigerian Customs Services, amongst others. And now, another Lagos man as Accountant General of the Federation, a man who is almost retiring. We will not be shocked to wake up on Monday to see that the Auditor General of the Federation too has been replaced with another Lagos ‘Tax Expert’.
“This nation cannot grow in this direction. Nigeria belongs to Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, and all other tribes totalling 250. Asiwaju should be the President for all and not for a section. He should purge himself of any ingredients of nepotism and favouritism. We loved him and believed in him and that’s why we all overwhelmingly supported him. He should try and justify that confidence we reposed on him”, the group added.
