The Presidency has responded to Gov. Ayo Fayose‘s claims that President Muhammadu Buhari is president for the north due to his lopsided political appointments.
The Presidency said the governor’s outburst was divisive and threatens the unity of the country.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said President Buhari had been preoccupied with the revival of the economy, securing the nation and ridding it of corruption.
He said the President would pursue these priorities and would not be distracted by unwarranted criticism.
“Nigerians are smarter than Fayose thinks. The Governor’s outbursts are intended to be a trigger for a clash between communities in areas where deliberate attempts had in the past also been made by the PDP to stoke ethnic and religious fault-lines,” he said.
“Our appeal to Nigerians is that they should ignore these tantrums. President Buhari is a healer not a divider.”
He said Nigerians should see the recent appointments as one wave among the many that will come, noting that the next waves would come with thousands of new jobs.
“The President is conscious of the federal character and the requirements of balance in the constitution. He will be guided by the constitution in making his appointments,” Mr. Shehu said.
“Let me say at this stage that mere appeal to ethnic and regional arithmetic will not give back to the PDP what they lost. They seem to be making a dangerous calculation with their recent outbursts.
“The mere appeal to sectional and religious will not give the party its lost relevance or electability.”
