By Bayo Oluwasanmi
President Muhammadu Buhari continues to fester the sore of our historically fragile ethnic divide by his bigotry and nepotism. Since he assumed office, his appalling goal is to pit the north against the south. His motive is for crass political domination.
In my piece titled After Magu, Another Muslim Fulani Police Officer Should Head EFCC published in SaharaReporters July 7, 2020, I predicted that another Muslim Fulani will replace Ibrahim Magu as the new EFCC chair.
A satire laden with witty bitter truth, I advised Buhari in the piece that “If Magu was removed, another Muslim police Fulani should be appointed as EFCC chairperson.” I argued that “This will ensure the all Muslim Fulani federal civil service and federal agencies are not polluted by “infidels” or “outsiders. The Fulanis purity must be maintained at all times.”
The appointment of Mohammed Umar as Acting Chairman of EFCC further portrays Buhari as a bigot and a nepotist. As a bigot, Buhari discriminates against Christians in the appointment of heads of federal civil service, federal agencies, security and intelligence departments. Religious discrimination involves treating a person (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs. This affects any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, lay off, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment.
As a nepotist, Buhari excludes southerners from all these top federal government positions. The EFCC was established in 2003. Till date, the chairpersons have been Muslim Fulani and police officers: Nuhu Ribadu (2003-2007), Ibrahim Lamorde (2008), Farida Mzamber Waziri ( 2008-2011), Ibrahim Lamorde (2011-2015), and Ibrahim Magu (2015- 2020). No southern Christian ever headed EFCC.
When will a southern Christian lead EFCC? Is Buhari saying there’s no qualified Christian Yoruba or Igbo that can head EFCC? Is Buhari saying only Muslim Fulanis possess the qualification, intelligence, education, competence, honesty, and other leadership skills to head EFCC? What special qualities have Muslim Fulanis that southern Christian Yorubas and Igbos lack? Nigerian politicians are corrupt. However, it is evident that northern politicians are the most corrupt given the sheer size of their loot. For example, we are yet to recover all that Abacha looted from our treasury.
In terms of education, the Fulanis, better still, northerners are the least qualified, the least competent, the least knowledgeable, the least equipped, the least honest, and the least capable to head EFCC.
In case Nigerians need reminding: Buhari is an unabashed bigot. Is there no floor to how low Buhari is prepared to go to divide Nigeria? Buhari is animated by prejudice and rived by hatred of southerners. Buhari is incapable of uniting Nigeria. He’s working diligently to shred Nigeria. Buhari is the wrong man for the right job at the wrong time. The earlier we go our separate ways, the better!
What the hell is senate of fools and cowards and the House of Criminals doing to tame Buhari’s dictatorship? The National Assembly should invoke the Federal Character Act as basis to reject Umar right away. The legislators should insist that a southern Christian should be the new head of EFCC. They should also review names of those who head federal agencies, security, and intelligence departments and force Buhari to appoint new heads that reflect Nigeria as a diverse country.
Nigeria, many nations – hostile, divided, and unequal. Buhari’s bigotry and nepotism will ultimately lead to revolution and disintegration of Nigeria. The clock is ticking!
