Buhari favours North in appointments – Col. Umar laments over acting CJN

A former Military Administrator, retired Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, has criticized the Federal Government for favoring the North in its appointment.

Umar, in a statement on Thursday, said this against the inability of the Presidency to confirm Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Onnoghen, who has been acting as the CJN, will see his tenure in acting capacity run out in two weeks.

Umar said this was unfortunate as the government’s appointments were in favor of the North.

He said “In a few days, the tenure of acting appointment of Justice Onnoghen will expire. Going by our extant Constitution, the Acting CJN will be disqualified from appointment as the substantive CJN unless the NJC resubmits his nomination to the President.

“Without providing any cogent and plausible or believable reason for its failure to forward the name of Justice Onnoghen to the Senate for confirmation, the Presidency leaves Nigerians guessing and speculating about the reasons.

“Already, many analysts view this action as a ploy to deny a Southerner his right to succession based on his seniority in keeping with the appointment protocol observed the NJC in making the appointment.

“In the event of this occurrence, the NJC must not forward any other name nor should the Senate confirm any other nominee.

“This will serve to check the excesses of this administration and reinforce the unity of the nation which has already been pushed to the precipice by the recruitment and appointment policies of a government which tends to favour the north in violation of the Federal Character provision of the Constitution.”