Rights activist Mike Ozekhome defends President Tinubu’s appointments, blaming former President Buhari for the regional dominance in Nigerian government positions. Speaking at a human rights symposium, Ozekhome pointed out the historical precedent set by Buhari's northernization of the government, urging Nigerians to reconsider their current criticisms.
Mike Ozekhome, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist, has responded to accusations against President Bola Tinubu for appointing too many people from the Yoruba ethnic group to key government positions. Speaking at a symposium organized by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in Abuja on December 11, 2024, Ozekhome shifted the blame to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ozekhome argued that the current complaints about the "Yorubanization" of the Nigerian government should not be surprising, as similar patterns were established during Buhari's eight-year presidency. He reminded critics that, under Buhari, top government positions were filled almost exclusively by northern Nigerians and Muslims, yet many Nigerians chose to overlook this bias because he was perceived as "their man."
The senior advocate pointed out that, despite his own criticism of Buhari's administration, which he documented in his book How Buhari Mismanaged Nigeria, many Nigerians either ignored or defended the favoritism, which ultimately set a precedent for Tinubu. Ozekhome stressed that this regional favoritism had been allowed to flourish under Buhari without significant pushback, leading to the current situation where Tinubu is now facing similar accusations.
The activist called for a more balanced approach to appointments, urging Nigerians to hold all leaders accountable for any form of regional favoritism, regardless of their ethnic background, in order to foster unity and inclusivity in the country's governance.
