In a recent statement via his official X account, human rights lawyer and former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, has raised concerns over the regional distribution of ministerial appointments under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
”Of 22 Ministers from the 17 states of southern #Nigeria in @NigeriaGov of @officialABAT, 11 or 50% are from the SW. Of 27 Ministers from the 19 States of the North, 12 or 44.44% are from the NW,” Chidi Anselm Odinkalu wrote.
In his post, Odinkalu pointed out that out of 22 ministers appointed from the 17 states in southern Nigeria, 11, representing about half, are from the South West region, he pointed out that this indicates a significant concentration of appointments within that zone.
He further stated that from the northern part of the country, which comprises 19 states, 27 ministers were appointed, out of this number, 12, representing about 44 percent, are from the North West region and suggested that this also reflects a noticeable pattern in the distribution.
Odinkalu argued that the figures raise questions about balance and equity in federal appointments, in his view, such patterns could fuel concerns about inclusiveness and fairness in governance, especially in a diverse country like Nigeria where regional representation is often a sensitive issue.
He maintained that equitable distribution of political appointments is important for national unity and public confidence, according to him, perceived imbalance in representation can deepen divisions and create feelings of marginalisation among different regions. Read_More…