My appointments are based on merit, President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed accusations of lopsided appointments insisting that his appointments were based on merit.
The President stated this when he featured on Arise Television programme,”Morning Show” on Thursday.
Buhari had come under attack by many sections of the country who accused him for skewed appointments in favour of the Hausa/Fulani Muslims north without consideration to the principles of federal character, especially in the appointment of service chiefs.
However, Buhari said he will not appoint somebody to fill a particular position in the name of balancing while neglecting those who had passed through the training and ranks.
“They trained in Zaria or Abeokuta, they come through the ranks and because they served under all the circumstances, the crises and everything and they gradually rise to the status.
“And you think, you will just pick somebody just to balance up. These positions have to be earned. There are people who have been there for 10 to 15 years”, Buhari said.
Also speaking on the security situation in the country, Buhari said he has ordered the military and the police to deal ruthlessly with bandits terrorising the north-west region of the country.
“Problem in the north-west; you have people over there stealing each other’s cattle and burning each other’s villages. Like I said , we are going to treat them in the language they understand. We have given the police and the military the power to be ruthless. You watch it in a few weeks’ time there will be difference.”
”Because we told them if we keep people away from their farm, we are going to starve. And the government can’t control the public. If you allow hunger, the government is going to be in trouble and we don’t want to be in trouble. We are already in enough trouble. So we warn them sooner than later you’ll see the difference”, Buhari said.
