Arewa youths speak on Buhari govt favouring north, react to Bichi’s appointment as DG DSS

The youth wing of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has declared that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is not sectional as being speculated in some quarters.

Speaking with Dailypost, President of the Forum, Yerima Shettima, insisted that the Buhari government was not sectional because even the Northern part of the country was not “feeling any impact” of his administration.

Shettima said this while reacting to Buhari’s appointment of Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the substantive Director-General of the Department of State Security, DSS.

Bichi’s appointment generated controversies from all corners, with many accusing the president of nepotism. 

Reacting to the appointment, Shettima said Buhari reserved the right to appoint who he feels would be loyal to him.

The ACF President stressed that Buhari may have lost confidence in the former Acting DSS DG, Seiyifa reason his appointment was not confirmed.

He said, “The appointment is at the discretion of the President. It is his right to appoint anyone in that capacity and it has to do with secret and you can’t give your secrets to someone you doubt, especially with the way politics is these days.

“To me, I see no issue there even though we are aware of the fact that Seiyifa was to retire any moment from now, but that not withstanding, if you can give somebody who is retired the appointment what about this one that is still in the service?

“However, maybe the President has no confidence in Sieyifa and I hope he gave the appointment in the interest of the country and on personal grounds.

“Loyalty to Nigeria must be hundred percent. Interest of the country must come first before any political appointment otherwise he will be remembered for his actions.”

On Bichi’s appointment portraying the Buhari government as being sectional, the ACF youth president said, “Well, for me every Commander-in-Chief will always look at people that are loyal to him and will always be on his side whenever this is any problem.

“Some of us feel that the Buhari government is running like a syndicate that only favours a few individuals and I think government should be all inclusive. Sectionally, I will say no because the North has seen the worst in terms of suffering.

“In area of education and everything we are the most suffered region, so he is not sectional. Some of us in the North are crying because we have been shortchanged.

“The Buhari government is in the hands of a few individuals and everything fails in that light.

“So, when you say sectional is like it is strictly a Northern affair but we are also not feeling any impact here.”