In a recent statement via his official X account, Chidi Odinkalu, a law professor and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his recent appointments to a high-powered Presidential Committee on the National Population and Housing Census.
President Tinubu had set up the committee to oversee the upcoming national census and directed its members to deliver an interim report within three weeks.
He also asked them to focus on using technology for accurate and verifiable data.
However, Odinkalu raised concerns over the makeup of the committee and stated that that most members came from the South-West region, especially Tinubu’s own ethnic group.
He also pointed out that the secretary of the committee is from Kwara State in the North, but also Yoruba.
“So, from a sanatorium in France, @officialABAT constitutes a committee on census with 2 people from NW, 5 from SW and an ex-officio secretary from Kwara State? He is truly smarter than they really said he is,” Odinkalu wrote.
Odinkalu’s statement has brought debate across social media, many Nigerians are worried about the issue of nepotism in the president’s appointments, stating that the committee does not reflect the country’s diversity.
Many argue that appointments like this can lead to bias in national data collection, believing the government is ignoring other regions, especially the South-East and South-South.
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