Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
Loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari in the defunct Congress of Progressives Change (CPC) in the South-west geo-political zone yesterday raised the alarm over what they described as lopsided political appointments in the region.
This is just as they alleged that most of the capable and devoted party leaders who worked for the president in 2011 in the then CPC and later in 2015 and 2019 on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform have been neglected and marginalised in the current scheme of things in the zone.
The aggrieved Buhari loyalists, while addressing journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday, said they are competent and professionals in their various endeavours, who organised several programmes to support President Buhari before, during and after the elections, adding that they also deserve to be given responsibilities and appointments.
A member of the defunct CPC in Ogun State, Adeyemi Idowu, said: “I can tell you that the appointments have been lopsided especially in the South-west region. It has only favoured members of former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). I know many educated captains of industries, even astute politicians, who rallied support for President Buhari during their time in the CPC, the party he founded, but did not get any appointment till date. They are still being shortchanged in the APC even after the merger with ACN and ANPP which produced President Buhari as the standard bearer of the APC.”
He gave names of other abandoned CPC members as Hon. Lanre Kuku, Fatai Olatunji in Ogun State; Olufemi Olaore, Hammed Elegbeleye in Oyo State; Wole Adunola, Kola Olabisi in Osun State; Adewale Agboola Dixon, Owa Babatunde in Ekiti State; Soji Ehinlanwo, Damilola Oluyemi and Hamisu Mohammed in Ondo State among others.
“These were confirmed President Buhari loyalists, who gave their best for him while in CPC and even in APC. They spent personal money, energy and risked their lives, yet many of them in the Southwest have not been offered any political appointment despite their proficiencies. This isn’t fair,” he said.
Another aggrieved party member, Lekan Yusuf, an executive member of the Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) in Surulere, Lagos State, said there were many personalities who worked for President Buhari in Lagos, among them are Hon. Thomas Adu, Olufemi Adeniregun, Blessing Okere, late Chief EmiAbata Balogun, and Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, who was among the major financiers of BYO across the major states in Nigeria, stating that all of these people could have been invited to serve the country in the current administration.
“They are committed and loyal party members who are also qualified to hold any political post, yet the presidency keeps on recycling the same set of people that haven’t delivered well,” Yusuf said.
He and the other aggrieved loyalists, however, urged President Buhari to invite some of them to serve the country before the expiration of his tenure, saying: “President Buhari has spent two out of his four-year second term, there’s still time to right the wrongs. Evidently, all of us cannot get appointments but those real and qualified field workers, particularly, Mumuni, who is a renowned international security expert should be allowed to serve their fatherland in this administration.”
The Lagos Chairman of BYO, Waheed Odunuga, described Mumuni, a former CPC governorship candidate in Lagos State, as a role model to many and a great source of inspiration to the youths.
“He supported President Buhari and promoted his ideologies and principles. He provided mentorship and guidance relating to governance, security and public affairs to the youths, especially Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO). He is a philanthropist who catered for the social needs of the youths and women in the community. Mumuni has got a lot to offer the country due to several international awards experience and recognition he has acquired,” Odunuga stated.
