There are allegations of ethnic bias against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu since he has appointed a large number of Yoruba people to important positions.
The constitutional need that different ethnic groups be fairly represented in federal appointments was emphasised in Monday’s discussion on News Central’s Breakfast Central.
Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the National Publicity Secretary for the Arewa Consultative Forum, stated during the show that there is a lot of lopsidedness that favours one ethnic group, in this case, the Yoruba ethnic group.
“It is regrettable that we have arrived at a situation where those in authority attempt to prioritise their interests over those of others. There are undoubtedly constitutional provisions that prevent such, but regrettably, Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution as amended stipulates that all appointments must represent the ethnic, religious, and other features of the unit at all three levels of government.”
He went on to say that since unequal appointments are a feature of society that is changing from one system to another, there is no provision for a judicial action, which implies that one cannot sue the government over them.
The former dean of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at the Federal University of Technology, Birnin Kebbi, emphasised the historical background of these practices in Nigerian politics and the difficulties in attaining fair representation across the nation’s heterogeneous demographic landscape.
In his reflections on the cyclical nature of ethnic favouritism in Nigerian politics, Prof. Muhammad-Baba demonstrated how each administration tends to repeat the policies of its predecessor. Understanding the ingrained character of these problems and the difficulties in resolving them requires knowledge of this historical background.
“As we have seen, it is now practiced throughout the nation; it is not limited to the Yoruba, Igbo, or Southwest; it has also occurred in the North. However, what is unusual in this case is that the ethnic component is valued above all others.
“There is no denying that the previous regime was biased in its appointments, projects, and other areas, but that reflected more regional than tribal or ethnicity. For example, former President Buhari appointed many Northerners to important positions, but those Northerners were not necessarily ethnic, Housa, Daura, or members of a particular tribe. However, this regime is unquestionably biased in favour of one tribe, the Yoruba tribe, but the issue also stems from the nature of the state and the politics we engage in.
“There are qualified individuals to be appointed to positions of power and authority and other duties in every section of this country, from every tribe or region, as the last speaker stated. Still, we also need to consider the nature of the appointment.”
Muhammad-Baba alluded to the fact that he had seen data, such as the president appointing roughly eight positions to the northwest region of Nigeria.
“There is a great deal of inventiveness on the list. For heaven’s sake, the EFCC and NYSC were agencies named as security agencies, even though they are not strictly under security.
“I believe it has to do with the nature of our politics, and many political scientists have discussed it. The general trend is that people hold positions of authority and power for themselves, their region, or their innate qualities, but in reality, these are more manipulations of ethnic traits than genuine favouring of those same traits.”
There is an urgent need for structural changes in governance to address the systemic problems of nepotism and racial bias in appointments. This entails establishing strong procedures for transparency and accountability in appointments and guaranteeing that every ethnic group has fair access to political participation and power.
He clarified the intricate relationships that exist in Nigeria between ethnicity, nepotism, and government and emphasised how leaders must uphold the federal character principles outlined in the constitution and how crucial it is to create a political climate that prioritises inclusivity and merit over racial or ethnic affinities.
As long as these topics are discussed, there is a chance for significant change that might result in a more just and efficient Nigerian governance structure.
