Our attention has been drawn to the continuous and targeted campaign of calumny against the person of the chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dr Muheeba Dankaka and now being extended to the person and office of the President. The intendment of the authors of this vitriolic attacks been peddled in the mass media space of this country is simply to cast the President and this administration in bad light as being a nepotistic in all its actions and decisions.
It is the late President of Russia, Gorbachev, who stated that a pessimist is a well informed optimist. We have for so long for the sake of national unity and cohesions decided to keep mum in the midst of these accusations made only from the angle of parochialism but decided to come forward to put the record straight so that this misleading accusations would not be termed as true especially from gullible Nigerians.
The Federal Character Commission of Nigeria came into existence pursuant to the yearnings of Nigerians for a reform that would address the thorny issues of inequality and ethnic domination in the MDAs. This is to be done by ensuring the equitable representations of different groups in all tiers of governments as well as monitoring the implementations of these very noble objectives.
It is true and crystal clear that the constitution of Nigeria stipulates clearly that the Federal Character Commission should be constituted in a way and manner that would truly make it the custodian of the principles as enshrined in the constitution.
The FCC is also given the responsibility of ensuring that all federal agencies and parastatals adhere and respects this constitution provisions.
We make bold to say and without mincing word that with the quantum of verified data and statistic at our disposal that this president and indeed his administration have kept its promise to this country by ensuring that all sections and divides in the country got her fair share of appointive positions.
Why are we vilifying a president who has worked tirelessly hard in ensuring that equity and justice is not only done by seen to be done except for the only reason that he is not from our part of the country?
The president has always stated that his avowed promise of ensuring even distribution to all section and strata of the country is his conviction that this distribution would ensure balance and make every part of the country have a sense of belonging.
To the very few pessimists who never see any action of this President as well intentioned, they are today not loosing sleep by giving the actions of our President particularly as it concerns the FCC ethnic colouration. The appointment of the chairman of the FCC went through all known due process and many would patriotically attest to the fact that she has been performing wonderfully well as the head of that commission. She has brought a lot of positive changes through reforms to the commission that has gone a long way in eliminating the bad perception people hitherto have about the FCC.
The practice in the FCC now is termed business unusual and we are of the views that this changes have negatively affected the paymasters of this pessimistic elements. Is this antics of venturing into the media space with unverifiable accusations part of the game plan of making the chairman have a sleepless night now part of your antics?
Those speculating that the President and the chairman have diverted the FCC from its objectives of ensuring equity but have knowingly and unknowingly because of their ethnic agenda abandoned the constitutional provisions and are now operating at variance with their initial promise. You know it is a lie you crafted from the pit of hell to denigrade some of our very best who meant well for Nigeria.
Of particularly concern is the pessimistic view that the re-appointment of the secretary of the commission was done in total disregard to constitutional provisions.
Those making this assertions deserve our pity as they failed to take into consideration that Alhaji Mohammed Tukur Bello was deserving for a second term as was adjudged by the President to have performed wonderfully in his first term to have merited a second term.
I think that instead of making ignorant assertions at every turn which displays their ignorance about the inner workings of government which also recognises that one good turn deserves another.
The President has within his powers done the right thing by appointing as constitutionally required a commissioner from each of the 36 states that makes up the country and the Federal Capital Territory.
We state categorically that the President’s re-appointment of Mohammed Bello Tukur as secretary of the FCC has not breached any constitutional provisions and has not in any way affected the promotion of national unity and loyalty.
Nigeria today still remains a strong, united and indissolvable entity. Casting your country and its leadership in bad light because of a single appointment done in national interest is not a virtue. The president we know is still and forever committed to national unity and cohesion and its entrenchments. The president do not need to be reminded by anyone to be decisive as he is known as a decisive president.
These antics of yours must stop now.
– Musa Wada writes from Abuja.
