The Voice of Northern Christian Movement of Nigeria has cautioned Vice President Yemi Osinbajo against giving appointment based on religion.
According to the group, Osinbajo should not attempt giving appointments to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members from the North, just because they are Christians or friends of his close associations, Daily Trust reports.
In an open letter to the vice president, the group added that integrity, fairness and competence must be considered on issues of appointments.
The letter reads: “We heard that some Christian leaders or pastors that had worked with some past PDP governors in the North are now lobbying for political appointment in this new All Progressives Congress (APC) government through their friends who are very close to the vice president.
“If the vice president makes a mistake and gives any appointment to PDP members from the North just because they are Christians or friends to his close associates, he is going to have a very serious problem with both President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC leaders in the Southwest. So, he should avoid any step that will lead to a problem with his party leaders.
“We also heard that northern pastors that had worked for the APC in the North are complaining that the Yoruba tribe and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) are blocking them from seeing the vice president, this is not right. Nobody should think that Osinbajo will only give appointments to Christians in this government because it was not an agreement between Vice President Osinbajo and President Buhari that the vice president will give appointments to Christians only while the President gives appointments to Muslims only.
“President Buhari also knows that northern Nigeria is divided over religious discrimination. If truly they are going to unite us, we must reject those who propagate hatred, ethnicity, divisiveness, sectionalism or seek to manipulate our religious differences in such cynical fashion.”
The group warning comes after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari announced that they will take only 50% of the salaries that were approved by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
According to the group, Osinbajo should not attempt giving appointments to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members from the North, just because they are Christians or friends of his close associations, Daily Trust reports.
In an open letter to the vice president, the group added that integrity, fairness and competence must be considered on issues of appointments.
The letter reads: “We heard that some Christian leaders or pastors that had worked with some past PDP governors in the North are now lobbying for political appointment in this new All Progressives Congress (APC) government through their friends who are very close to the vice president.
“If the vice president makes a mistake and gives any appointment to PDP members from the North just because they are Christians or friends to his close associates, he is going to have a very serious problem with both President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC leaders in the Southwest. So, he should avoid any step that will lead to a problem with his party leaders.
“We also heard that northern pastors that had worked for the APC in the North are complaining that the Yoruba tribe and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) are blocking them from seeing the vice president, this is not right. Nobody should think that Osinbajo will only give appointments to Christians in this government because it was not an agreement between Vice President Osinbajo and President Buhari that the vice president will give appointments to Christians only while the President gives appointments to Muslims only.
“President Buhari also knows that northern Nigeria is divided over religious discrimination. If truly they are going to unite us, we must reject those who propagate hatred, ethnicity, divisiveness, sectionalism or seek to manipulate our religious differences in such cynical fashion.”
The group warning comes after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari announced that they will take only 50% of the salaries that were approved by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
