Service Chiefs: Ohanaeze urges Buhari to consider South-East in next appointment

By Stanley Nwanosike

Apex Igbo social-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to consider the inclusion of somebody from the South East zone when making his next appointments in the security sector.

The President-General of the group, Prof. George Obiozor, said this while commending the President over the appointment of new service chiefs in a statement issued to journalists in Enugu on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari on Tuesday appointed Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff and AVM Isiaka Amao, Chief of Air Staff.

Obiozor noted that the appointment would go a long way to “reassure Nigerians that the President is determined to contain and control the nation’s security problems with fresh ideas and strategies.

“We particularly thank the President for the appointment of Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, a tested General and a gentleman.

“However, Mr President, one way of ensuring compliance with Federal character provision of the constitution is to observe the distribution of important and vital offices of the Federal Government in accordance with the zonal structure.

“Mr. President, particularly in the area of the security architecture of the country; the South East zone which was conspicuously absent in your first term has now again not been included so far in your recent appointment of service chiefs.

“Ohanaeze hopes and believes that the President in continuation of appointments in this sector will consider the South-East.

“We wish President Buhari a successful second term with peace and security for the country and prosperity for the people of Nigeria,’’ he said.