By Nwabueze Okonkwo

ONITSHA—Nigerians, especially from the South East part of the country, have continued to condemn the recent key appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari with the latest coming from the regent of Mbosi Community, Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State, Prince Okey Joe Onuakalusi.

Buhari

In a press statement from his law chambers, Onuakalusi said such lopsided appointments are not only actionable but also showed the extent of the President’s dislike for Ndigbo and a let-down to Nigerians and the 1999 constitution.

He said this is also capable of derailing the course of unity and frustrate the one people, one nation hallmark of Nigeria.

He expressed surprise that Buhari could not abide by the oath of office which he swore to as President of Nigeria on May 29, 2015 whereby he pledged to uphold the unity and spirit of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He quoted the President as pledging when he was being sworn-in, to ”not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct on my official decisions; that I will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will do right to all manner of people according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”

Onuakalusi declared: “Today, what is happening to the oath, the people and their constitution as sworn to by President Buhari?”

He quoted the 1999 constitution as saying that, “the composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and also command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few state or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies.”

According to Prince Onuakalusi, “suffice it to state unequivocally that Mr. President has made appointments into several sensitive positions that touch the socio-economic life of the nation in total non- consideration of this basic principle engrafted with special emphasis on sections 14(3) and 147 of the 1999 constitution.”