From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Elder statesmen under the aegis of Forum of Nigerian Elders (FONE), has described as an abuse the lopsided appointment allegedly carried out by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
This is even as the group argued despite glaring favouratism, the situation has not resolved the spate of banditry and poor economic fortunes plaguing the country.
In a statement signed by Dr Balarabe Usman Wudil, Zana Goni and four others, they tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to review his policy with a view to correcting the constitutional infringement.
Aside that, they admonished the Federal Government to immediately convene national dialogue to discuss and address the problem which has led to the country’s present predicaments.
The statement read: “We are concerned about blatant disregard to the federal character principles in appointments into key positions in the country. We task President Muhammadu Buhari to reflect over this and put things in their right places as the drafters of our constitution did not make any mistake in making the provision.
“Appointments into key positions should be evenly spread devoid of religious, ethnic and regional considerations. This will help promote national unity which our founding fathers worked tirelessly for.
“Appointments, particularly into key positions in the security sector must be on merit besides regional consideration to give every section of the country a sense of belonging. The insecurity building up as a result of cry for injustice and the quest for self-rule can be greatly tackled through this hence we are by this calling on Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari to review his governing strategies with a view to getting needed and expected results.
“The federal government under the leadership of our dear president, friend and brother, President Muhammadu Buhari, must address the issues of injustice in appointments into key sectors especially people of the South East of the country and address the issues of security in all part of the country.
“We are a group of elders from the six geopolitical zones of the country that have worked at different high levels of our chosen careers.
“We are worried at the current state of security situation in the country. It is regrettable that the development which had come like a child’s play some few years ago has assumed the current dimension.
“As a country, we are currently sitting on a time bomb and we wish to sound alarm that if nothing urgent is done to arrest this ugly situation, we will be consumed,”the Forum of Nigeria Elders said in the statement.
“We are alarmed by the dangerous wave of violence blowing round the country, this must not be allowed to fester on given that it does no one any good.
“The president should delegate his appointees to move to their various zones of the country to work with the elders of the regions and youths to de-escalate the looming conflict.
“Nigeria is sitting on time bomb and something needs to be done very fast.
“We appeal to our dear president, Muhammadu Buhari to begin to ignore rhetorics and empty assurances being given to him by his security chiefs and move to actions that will save our country from the brink of total collapse.”