Coalition Decries Marginalisation Of Southern Borno In Appointments

A civil society organization, Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG) has called on the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider a Southern Borno person for appointment as a federal minister, for balancing, inclusion and participation, which are key criteria for political equity, fairness, and justice. 

The coalition said Christians and minority ethnic groups now need to be reassured that Nigeria is a secular state, where merit and unity – not religion and tribe – will be the parameters for facilitating national integration, peaceful coexistence and harmonious relationships that will engender a prosperous Nigeria for all.  

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja president, (CSGGG) Comrade Ogakwu Dominic Ogakwu said over the years appointive and elective offices in Borno state are manned by persons of Kanuri and Shuwa extraction – all from central and northern Borno. 

Ogakwu said the coalition call was not an ethnic agitation nor a religious protest, but a ‘moralsuation.’ 

“We are only appealing to the humanity which binds all of us and calling the good people of Central and Northern Borno, led by Vice-president-elect Kashim Shettima, to ‘be their brothers’ keepers’ this time, by backing a Southern Borno person for appointment as a federal minister, for balancing, inclusion and participation, which are key criteria for political equity, fairness, and justice. 

“Considering the current political setup in the state, we are particularly calling on the president-elect to lead the charge for sociopolitical and socioeconomic integration, by appointing a person from Southern Borno as a federal minister – since they have already been schemed out of the political equation in Borno state in particular and Nigeria in general.

“Just as the current administration in the state schemed southern Borno out, they were equally not featured in federal ministerial appointments, with the current federal minister of state for Agriculture hailing from Borno Central, instead of using that ministerial appointment to compensate Borno south for their marginalization in the state.”

He, however, urged the Vice President-elect to leverage on his influence in the party to mend the broken fences and build a bigger, better and more united Borno State and Nigeria, by throwing his weight behind Borno South for federal ministerial appointment, to compensate and bring them into the fold as one family.

“Considering that southern Borno is predominantly Christian and non-Kanuri, we believe that if vice-president-elect Kashim Shettima heed this ‘moralsuation’ and facilitate the inclusion of southern Borno in this federal government, it will send a strong message across the nation and the world, that the Muslim-Muslim ticket is not a prelude to religious intolerance nor a threat to Christians or other religions, but rather a government founded on equity, fairness and justice,” he added.