Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN yesterday said there was no imbalance in federal appointments, stressing that the appointments reflected federal character and quota system.
He blamed the elite for fuelling ethnic and religious division and tension, urging Nigerians to always elevate merit above the push for quota system.
Osinbajo, who identified corruption as the greatest problem confronting the country, praised the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, saying that he is competent.
He said: “Magu is a highly competent figure. His fight against corruption has been unprecedented. We must insist on merit, which many people don’t believe in. Merit must come before quota.”
The Vice President also reflected on the conflict between the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Baru, saying that Baru followed the guidelines in the discharge of his duties.
He said: “In the oil and gas sectors, we have the NNPC as our national oil company. Kachikwu was both the Minister of State and NNPC boss at a time. The GMD reports to the minister, who is the President. It is possible that the GMD reports to the President directly.
“When I was the acting President, I was not the Minister of Petroleum. I could ask Baru to report to the Minister of State. Is it the Board of the NNPC or the NNPC Tenders Board that approves contract? The answer given by the Bureau of Public Procurement was that it was the Tenders Board.
“There could be conflict between ministries. The only reason it became an issue was that it came to the public. NNPC law says that the president approves the contract that exceeds a certain amount.
“In the previous law, it could be taken to the Council of Ministers. When it was amended, it is the President that approves and it may not come to the Federal Executive Council.”
The Vice President spoke in Lagos at a one-day ‘Greater Nigeria Pastors Conference’ organised by the Coalition of Apostolic Leaders, led Pastor Wale
Adefarasin and Pastor Abayomi Kasali. Its theme was ‘Towards a better Nigeria
