Buhari did not appoint us based on ethnicity — new SGF

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President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in the new Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who was appointed last week.

The president also inaugurated the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, and the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

The event took place at the council chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mr. Buhari has come under fire for appointing mostly people from Nigeria’s northern region, to top positions.
Criticisms grew last week after the appointment of Mr. Lawal and five others, with only one of the nominees from the south.

The appointments followed a pattern that has seen at least 75 per cent of top government officials, from the north.

The presidency has denied any sectional agenda, and has assured that no part of the country will be marginalised in subsequent appointments.

Mr. Buhari did not comment on the controversy on Monday after swearing in the new officials. He did not give any remarks.

But speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the SGF, Mr. Lawal, said they were not appointed because of their places of origin.

“We did not have to pass examination to get appointed into these positions,” he said. “(It was) not because of our tribes, or our faiths, or our political groups that we were considered worthy for these positions.

“If it is such, I am sure none of us would have been considered worthy of these appointments. We appreciate the president and we appreciate God that he has blessed us with these privileged appointments,” Mr. Lawal said.