Buharis supporters, loyalists allege sidelining, lopsided appointments in South West

 

Some loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari in the South West geo-political zone have raised an alarm over what they described as the lopsided appointments in the zone.

Some of the supporters and chieftains of the defunct Congress of Progressives Change (CPC) in the Southwest alleged that many of them have been abandoned and forgotten in the zone.

Our correspondent recalls that Buhari contested as President on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), in 2011 but lost to former President Goodluck.

But, some of the supporters of President Muhamadu Buhari who are now members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the region faulted the alleged lopsided appointments and sharing of political positions in the zone.

Those who spoke at the weekend also faulted the recent nomination of the recently retired Service Chiefs as non-career Ambassadors-designate.

They alleged that most of the devoted party leaders who worked for President Buhari’s election in 2011 under then CPC and later in 2015 and 2019 under the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been neglected.

Buhari’s supporters in the zone also said they have been marginalised in the current scheme of things in the zone.

A chieftain of the defunct CPC in Ogun State, Comrade Adeyemi Idowu, said, “I can tell you that the appointments have been lopsided, especially in Southwest. It has only favoured members of the 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 didn’t get any appointment till date. They’re still being shortchanged in the APC even after the merger with ACN and ANPP, which produced President Buhari as the flagbearer.”

Adeyemi added that many supporters of Buhari have been sidelined in the State.

“There are Hon. Lanre Kuku, Fatai Olatunji; Olufemi Olaore, Hammed Elegbeleye in Oyo; Wole Adunola, Kola Olabisi in Osun; Adewale Agboola Dixon, Owa Babatunde in Ekiti; Soji Ehinlanwo, Damilola Oluyemi and Hamisu Mohammed in Ondo, among others. These were confirmed President Buhari loyalists, who gave their best for him while in CPC and even in APC but today, they aren’t considered for any political appointments. This isn’t fair.”

An aggrieved Buhari supporter in Lagos State, Mr. Lekan Yusuf who is also an executive member of the Buhari Youths Organisations (BYO) in Surulere, Lagos State said there are many personalities among them like Hon. Thomas Adu, Olufemi Adeniregun, Blessing Okere, late Chief EmiAbata Balogun and Amb. Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, who worked for Buhari.

Yusuf, however, noted that none of the personalities who worked for Buhari has been given any appointment.

“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 should be allowed to serve their fatherland under this administration.”

Former Secretary of CPC in Lagos, Comrade Tope Balogun said many states of the Southwest zone had almost similar experience, adding that the situation in Lagos State was the most devastating.

“It was such a painful tale to tell. I, being the State secretary, knew so much of the expectations from all the members as appointments kept trickling in after the eventual success of winning the presidential election. To our dismay, till date, no known grassroot leader from Southwest has been factored into any of the appointments so far and this is really baffling.

“Personally, I still wonder what the offence of the leadership in Southwest is or its gravity to warrant such abandonment by the presidency since the first tenure till date. Though, many of us still advocate for considerations of someone like Amb. Abayomi Mumuni who was the Party’s major financier since the CPC flag was raised in Lagos State and hoisted by Late Chief Emiabata-Balogun.”