In Nigeria’s political landscape, the actions of former President Buhari’s government between 2015 and 2019 sparked heated debate and harsh criticism. The accusation of nepotism and deliberate exclusion of people of South East origin from non-compulsory positions has been at the heart of concerns raised by prominent figures such as indigenous leader Clark.
In a letter to current President Bola Tinubu, Clark highlighted the alleged mistreatment of the region during the last presidential term. He pointed out that despite the region having three oil producing states such as Abia, Anambra and Imo, Buhari refused to appoint representatives from the South East to the board of directors of the National Petroleum Corporation of Nigeria.
Furthermore, by not naming any department head from the region, Clark recalled that the former president allocated less than 1 percent of a $22.7 billion loan to the Southeast zone, while that other regions received higher percentages. This distortion in the treatment of the region has led to complaints and concerns about the intentions and actions of the central government.
Clark strongly emphasized that President Buhari did everything possible to subjugate the Igbos for reasons known only to him. Citing concrete examples, he pointed to the composition of the NNPC board where the South East was totally excluded, despite its significant contribution to the country’s oil industry.
Faced with these accusations and the growing tensions in the region, it is crucial to analyze in depth the policies and decisions taken by the Buhari government to better understand the socio-political issues in Nigeria. It is imperative that leaders be accountable for their actions and ensure equitable representation and just distribution of national resources to ensure unity and prosperity of all parts of the country.