President Muhammadu Buhari has justified his actions on the appointments made by his administration.
Contrary to the allegation that his administration has appointed more people from a particular region of the country, the President insisted that he has only appointed people that have risen through the ranks.
He disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Arise TV on Thursday.
President Buhari said, “The people we have appointed have paid their prices and also earned the positions. They were not appointed based on where they come from but all worked to earn their status.”
The President has oftentimes been criticized for ignoring the principles of federal character in appointments and for appointing more northerners in strategic positions.
However, during the interview, he insisted that he cannot discard merit for balance and federal character.
President Buhari said, “If you look at the leadership of NNPC and the Military, they are people that have been in the system for about 10 years after been trained at key places. They must have served under certain circumstance and they gradually rise to their current status. We can’t just pick anyone to balance up because these positions have to be earned.
“In the case of the current Chief of Army Staff, he was serving in the Maiduguri and we can’t just pick anybody from anywhere for the job. We had to put somebody who has been in the mill, who has been with the soldiers, they know him because he has suffered and fought with them.
“On the individual basis, some of these soldiers know me but I don’t know them and some of them I have forgotten.”