Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticised the appointment of Muslims as ministers of Interior and Defence by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group expressed its displeasure in a statement on Wednesday by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and National Media Affairs Director, Zainab Yusuf.
According to HURIWA, the development in a heterogeneous society like Nigeria contravened section 42(1) of the constitution, which prohibits discrimination.
Condemning the domination of juicy offices by Northern Nigeria, the statement read in part; “Mr. Pesident must be a president of nigeria not a President of APC and he must be a statesman especially now that he is ruling for the last tenure. He should leave a legacy of commitment to service and patriotism.
“We are not happy that most of the cabinet appointments are cornered to the northwest.
“The northwest cornered virtually 50% of the juicy ministries and all of them are senior ministers and he just gave IMO and Abia a minister for states. It is unfair because the igbo population in Nigeria is not less than 50million and constitutionally either people vote for you or not, you must appoint one minister From each state of the federation.
‘Why will Mr president try to repeat the mistake of his first term where he concentrate all his appointments to Muslims where he has Minister of Defence, all those heading departments as service chiefs, national security adviser, NIA, DSS, Custom, Immigration, Prison, all Muslims which is quite unfortunate.
“Mr president should not repeat the mistakes he made again unless he is not prepared to bequeath his legacy of statemanship and patriotism to Nigerians. Unless he is prepared to remain a regional leader of the north when he leaves Office.”
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