FG defends Bichi’s appointment as DSS boss

The Federal Government says President Muhammadu Buhari is not lopsided in the totality of appointments made into public offices and cannot be judged only on isolated case of security sector.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the defence on Friday in Lagos when he paid advocacy visit to Channels Television to drum support for national campaign against fake news.
The Channels’ management team had asked the minister for his reactions to the criticism of lopsidedness that had trailed appointments in the security sector.
With the latest appointment of Yusuf Bichi as the new Director-General of Department of State Service (DSS), Buhari was alleged of being sectional, appointing mainly northerners to man the security apparatus of the nation.
The minister said the critics should stop focusing only on the security sector in their assessment.
“Those talking about balancing and federal character should stop focusing on one aspect.
“Let us see how many Permanent Secretaries, Director-Generals and Executive Directors and Heads of Parastatals we have in Nigeria today and where they come from.
“This will give us a more insight to the fact that this administration is not lopsided in appointments.
“We should stop looking at only one side to make our judgment and anywhere we notice any lopsidedness government will correct it,” he said.
The minister also debunked the allegations from certain quarters that the N16.6 billion Paris Club refund to Osun State was to prosecute election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led state government.
“This is not the first time the Paris Club refund is being made available to states, I think it should be about the fourth time the government had released the money.
“This particular tranche would have been drawn a while ago but for the disagreement between the governors and the Federal Government.
“It is released to all the states, so, it has nothing to do with the election, the timing may be a coincidence,” he said.
On the progress made so far on Digital Switch Over (DSO), the minister said that the Economic Management Team headed by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo had set up a committee look into the challenges facing the process.
 
The minister said that the major challenge of DSO was basically funding and certain statutory interpretation.
 
Mohammed assured that the DSO was on course and the process would be fast tracked after the report of the committee.
Meanwhile, Bichi has called for stronger ties among members of staff.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Peter Afunanya, said that Bichi made the call on assumption of office at a meeting with management of the service on Friday in Abuja.
He also called for the support of the personnel while promising to work with them as a team.
Bichi also promised to build a well disciplined, professional and highly motivated service with particular reference to staff welfare.
The head of the service said that the Service would support government agenda to rebuild the economy, stamp out insecurity and fight corruption.
He enjoined members of Staff to refocus their intelligence collection efforts in this direction while imploring the management to ensure that the Service respect rule of law and human rights.
Also, some Nigerians have continued to react to Bichi’s appointment.
On Friday in Abuja, some respondents hailed the appointment while others criticised the decision, citing ethnocentric reasons.
One of the respondents, Mr Femi Olufemi said he believed the president did not appoint Bichi because of his tribe or ethnicity, but due to his competence to deliver.
He said that the new DSS is a core Secret Service operative and one skilled in intelligence gathering, conflict management in both general investigation and counter-intelligence.
“Yusuf Bichi may be a northerner, but we must admit that our security needs men with such competence.
“Nigerians need to wake up to the truth that this administration is working and would continue the good fight.’’
Olufemi expressed optimism that Buhari would return to serve a second term after the 2019 general elections.
He said that non-partisan Nigerians were unbiased in their judgment and would support the present administration going to the polls in 2019 to vote for continuity.
On the contrary, Mr Linus Onyeziligbo, a public servant, many Nigerians were compelled to question the president’s motive in appointing another northerner to a sensitive security position.
“Even if I was not a Nigerian, I would be concerned for the people of Nigeria.
“I am sure many Nigerians are amplifying accusations of the president’s alleged ethno-religious agenda.’’
Onyeziligbo said that he was stunned on Thursday night when he heard that the president had approved Bichi as the new DSS director-general.
In his comments, Mr Obisike Kinglsey, a civil servant, said that he was not surprised at the announcement.
He, however, expressed disappointment that the next most senior officer by rank in the service was not appointed.
“Matthew Seiyeifa, who is the next in rank, has been sidelined and it is an injustice that should not be allowed,’’ he said.
Bichi, whose appointment takes effect from Friday, replaced Seiyeifa who was appointed in acting capacity by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo following the dismissal of former DSS boss Lawal Daura.
Daura was dismissed on August 7, following the unlawful invasion of the National Assembly by men of the security agency under his watch.