A former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has advised President Bola Tinubu to shun nepotism in key appointments.
This was as he decried what he described as the practice of most African leaders who tend to fill important positions with people from their ethnic group once they assume power.
The former senator gave the advice on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television on Thursday, urging Tinubu not to toe same line.
“I will say that President Asiwaju should also be very careful. He shouldn’t toe that line because it has been in African political geography that each time a person takes over position of office, he fills the major positions with people from his ethnic group and it is happening everywhere.
“So, people who find themselves in power should see it as an opportunity to serve not as those who have conquered and as such, they have to put their people everywhere,” Senator Sani said.
Tinubu has been criticised by many Nigerians including opposition political leaders and even some top political figures within his own party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, over what they perceive as lopsided appointments by him.
The president was accused of appointing majorly those from his Yoruba Ethnic group into key offices in his cabinet, an accusation the Presidency has continued to deny.
Recall that an APC Senator, Ali Ndume, had accused the Tinubu administration of violating the federal character principle in its appointments, warning that the trend could have far-reaching consequences if not corrected.
However, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, replied to him in a statement, accusing the Borno South lawmaker of hypocrisy and misinformation.
Senator Sani, while speaking further on the programme, condemned the hypocrisy of some opposition politicians whom he said kept quiet when the lopsided appointments were perpetrated by people from their own ethnic group but suddenly found their voice when it is done by someone from a different ethnic group.
“I would appreciate the morality of the opposition if I can hear your voice when your own man from your tribe, from your ethnic group were perpetrating those evil and you stood against it. And when you keep quiet when it favoured you and now you speak out when it doesn’t favour you, it means you have other intentions,” he added.
