Roughly 50 days remain until the May 29 handover date. Yesterday, the federal government defended several of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decisions over the past eight years, including his choice of service chiefs, his prolonged absence due to illness, and the alleged failure to sell off assets from the presidential fleet as promised during his election campaign.
Speaking on Channels Television, presidential spokesman Femi Adesina explained that the appointment of service chiefs should not be subject to ethnic balancing or the federal‑character principle. Buhari has faced severe criticism for alleged sectionalism in the selection of service chiefs and heads of security agencies, with accusations that certain regions were excluded. Despite harsh attacks from his kinsman Atiku Abubakar, who claimed that 17 northern officials headed security agencies, Buhari has not altered the perceived imbalances. Adesina maintained that the president has the exclusive right to appoint whoever he deems competent, regardless of ethnic origin. “Critics will always be there. That’s their job. The thing about critics is that they hear themselves only. They don’t hear alternate voices,” the presidency said in Buhari’s defence.
Adesina noted that when the administration became aware of public discourse about the alleged imbalance, it released a 2018 checklist showing Ogun State had the highest number of government officials, followed by Imo, while Katsina—Buhari’s home state—ranked fifth or sixth. “Security is where you bring your best foot forward. Look at the echelon of the heads of security agencies since 2015; would you honestly say they have all been from one part of the country? Who was the chief of naval staff, who was the inspector general of police? Security is based on the best and the brightest because all you want is for the country to be secure,” he argued, adding that those who focus on the regional origin of security heads “do not know what they are talking about.”
The presidency further asserted that Buhari acted appropriately given the circumstances he inherited, emphasizing that security appointments should not be subject to ethnic balancing or federal‑character requirements. The constitution allows the president prerogatives to appoint individuals he believes will secure the nation, while federal‑character balancing applies only to certain positions, not security roles. “A president will always have the prerogative to appoint those he feels will help him secure the country and have the kind of country he desires to have,” Adesina declared.
Referencing the period from May 2015 to May 2022, during which over 55,000 Nigerians were killed by terrorists, bandits and armed gangs, Adesina claimed Buhari left the nation’s security better than it was in 2015. He cited data indicating that 2022 recorded the lowest number of deaths from insurgency and insecurity in the past twelve years, noting a progressive decline in violence.
The presidency also took a swipe at Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, who, in his Easter homily, urged Buhari to reflect on his tenure and assess whether he fulfilled promises to halt killings, end banditry, defeat corruption, sell part of the presidential fleet, and treat all Nigerians fairly. Adesina dismissed the bishop’s remarks as “bad news” and suggested he was too partisan, questioning the claim that selling the presidential fleet had been promised. “In 2015, there were a rash of promises made that even the candidate did not know about. So how can you start claiming that he promised that? Can he prove it?” he asked.
Regarding banditry, Adesina acknowledged that the problem was not fully resolved but argued that the situation was better than in 2015. On corruption, he noted that no country has ever eradicated it, citing China’s execution of corrupt officials as an extreme example, and called the bishop’s comments “disappointing.” He admitted that Buhari’s illness early in his presidency—eight months of absence between January 2017 and August 2017—was a setback, but praised the president for returning “whole, sound and better than the country.”
Defending the claim that Buhari never promised to sell the entire presidential fleet, Adesina clarified that the president only pledged to “look at the fleet.” He said two or three jets were sold and a similar number of helicopters were transferred to the Nigerian Air Force, describing this as “cutting off excesses.” He added that some people expect the sale of all jets and the revival of a Nigerian Airways, if it still existed.
Finally, addressing the economy, inflation and unemployment, the spokesman argued that Buhari inherited a mono‑economy heavily reliant on oil but will leave a more diversified one, with oil’s contribution to GDP reduced to less than 10 percent.
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