Senators divided over Buhari’s appointments into defence, security councils

Lawmakers in the upper legislative chamber were divided over President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments into the defence and security councils.

The disagreement ensued after Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, sponsored a motion on the “urgent need to appoint a representative of the south-east into the National Defence Council and the National Security Council.”

Umeh said no individual from the south-east had been appointed into the defence or security councils under this government.

“The defence and security advice relayed to the president by members of the defence and decurity councils (which excluded security officers from the five states that make up the south-east of Nigeria) may not likely represent fair and equitable security situation of the south-east of Nigeria,” he said.

Supporting the motion, Eyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, alleged that there is a “deliberate attempt” to exclude some parts of the country from the security structure.

Abaribe said there is also a “deliberate misreading” of the constitution regarding the powers of the president.

“There is actually a key provision which buttresses what is being said here and that is section 5 1 (a), (b) and (d). Section 1 a says ‘it shall be vested in the president and may be subject to the provisions of any law made by the national assembly be exercised either directly or either through the vice-president or other officers of the federation’ and b which is the most critical ‘shall extend to the execution and amendment of this constitution’,” he said.

“In other words Mr President, Mr President does not have an option. What we have seen has been a deliberate misreading of the constitution as to the powers of the president to decide on his own to determine who he can appoint.

“What we are seeing is the fact, despite the provisions of the constitution, there is a deliberate attempt not to let some parts of this country not be a part of the security architecture. Inclusion, making sure that everyone is part of this country is what we are here about.”

But Bala Na’Allah, deputy senate leader, said the position of Umeh is a “grouse misunderstanding” of the constitution.

“Let us not politicise the issue of security. It has never been the policy of the country to exclude a section of the country,” he said.

On his part, Barau Jibrin, senator representing Kano north, argued that Geoffrey Onyema, minister of foreign affairs, is part of the security council.

“I call on senator Umeh to apologise for misguiding the senate,” Jibrin said.

Senate President Bukola Saraki said all the issues raised in the motion were noted.

The prayers of the motion urging “President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to reconstitute the composition of the membership of the National Defence Council and National Security Council to comply with the federal character principle enshrined in the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria” and to “appoint an officer from the south-east as a service chief” were not adopted.