OPEN LETTER TO THE SENATE PRESIDENT ON THE NEED FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO CALL THE PRESIDENCY TO ORDER OVER FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION ON ISSUES OF FEDERAL CHARACTER BY THE NIGERIA CHRISTIAN GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP
Your Excellency,
We, the Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship as a body of responsible Nigeria citizens having respect for the laws of our land and respect for constituted authorities; we are under obligation by the divine mandate upon us as a group who have enjoyed the grace of God and the goodwill of the Nigerian State by attaining higher education through God and the opportunity offered by the nation to serve God and our nation with our learning; deem it necessary to draw the attention of the Senate President and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to continuous flagrant violation of the constitution by the President and Commander-in-chief, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, rtd.
We raise this alarm to wit that the National Assembly may rise to its responsibility of bringing the necessary checks on the executive as provided by the constitution knowing that no individual or groups have the right to float the constitution.
No doubt the National Assembly is aware that from the inception of this administration in 2015 violation of provisions of the constitution as it relates to Federal Character has been an issue. At the center of the resurface of agitations of self-determination that is raging and threatening the fabric of the nation is not just perceived marginalization of some sections, but opulent acts and statements by Mr. President showing his hatred of some sections of the country.
A case of Mr. President categorically stating that a section of the country did not vote for him and should not expect anything from him is to say the least un statesman. Mr. President has gone beyond his body language of this sectional bias to put his feelings into action severally thereby jeopardizing the unity of the nation. Yet he uses every opportunity to tell the nation that the unity of the nation is not negotiable. One wonders whether the unity is decreed by fiat and coercion or by agreement based on mutual trust.
Of all the acts of the violation of the very section 14 (3) of the 1999 constitution as amended which status inter alia: the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and also command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few groups in the government or any of its agencies. The recent appointment of Boards of Parastatals of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) seems to be the most impudent and atrocious. Of the 15 members, five are from the North East, five from the North West. While South West got three, and the South South got two, the two zones of North Central and the South East did not get any.
*NNPC TOP MANAGEMENT SLOTS*
I have been able to obtain the complete list of NNPC top managers from a source in NNPC.
55 TOP POSTS
31 NAMES FROM THE NORTH, I don't know if one zone in the North is more favored than the other, but the names appear to be all Muslim names.
24 FROM THE SOUTH.
IBO NAMES (EAST) : 7
SOUTH SOUTH : 9
WEST : 7
I CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR ONE NAME : ELIZABETH ALIYUDA.
SUMMARY
NORTH : 31
SOUTH : 23
FOR AN INDUSTRY THAT DERIVES ITS RESOURCES FROM THE SOUTH, THIS IS VERY UNFAIR AND REPRESENTS INJUSTICE.
APPOINTMENTS AS THIS ARE THE FUEL FOR ETHNIC AGITATIONS AND VIOLENCE.
IT ALSO VIOLATES PRINCIPLES OF FEDERAL CHARACTER REPRODUCED BELOW
Section 14(3) of the 1999 Nigerian constitution states “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity" and also to command national loyalty" thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in the Government or in any of its agencies.
Details of the appointments in attached pdf file
Your Excellency, you will agree with us that this is acrimony carried too far. We would have thought that Mr. President’s recent travails should have brought element of decorum in his thought on human relations. One would think that as a man that has seen and enjoyed the goodness and mercy of God. As one whose life has been spared by God should in reciprocation to God and the praying nation for the first time do justice to all manner of people. It is quite unfortunate that in spite of Mr. President’s ordeals, he does not forgive his perceived enemies.
Your Excellency as a group that is non-partisan, but involved in prayers for the nation and advocacy for good governance, we deem it necessary to draw your attention this issue, because acts such as these create moral problem for the national intercessors and those who insist that people should be patriotic.
Though these acts constitute impeachable offence, we do not call for impeachment of Mr. President in order not to overheat the already fragile polity. Rather, we call on the National Assembly through the Senate President to initiate a move for a dialogue with Mr. President to see the implication of these violations on the fledgling democracy.
We are worried that Mr. President is surrounded by cerebral minds even in the field of constitutional law and for these brazen violations to be taken place speaks volumes. Is either Mr. President is incorrigible, unteachable and have no respect or regard for his retinue of qualified advisers. Or the advisers deliberately are allowing Mr. President to grovel in ignorance thereby making himself unpopular. Whichever way, Mr. President must be made to know that his acts are fostering disunity, and disloyalty. And in actual fact, it is Mr. President that is the threat to the national unity and not those he considers as enemies.
God save Federal Republic of Nigeria
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