A’Ibom leaders urge Buhari to reinstate ex-SEC acting D-G

Akwa Ibom state leaders have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reinstate the former acting Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk, recently relieved of her appointment by the Presidency.

In a press statement issued in Uyo on Monday, under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Leaders Vanguard and signed by the Chairman, Senator Anietie Okon, the Akwa Ibom leaders appealed to President Buhari to reverse his decision of disengaging the former director general in the interest of justice and equity.

The group alleged that the disengagement of their daughter, Ms. Mary Uduk whose track record at Security and Exchange Commission was unbeatable in favour of a northerner in the person of Alhaji Ibrahim Yuguda was unacceptable.

The statement reads in part: “The country under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari has continued to drift recklessly towards disintegration and anarchy owing to the continued lopsidedness of political appointments which favours only the northern section of the country.

“The ill- motivated sacking of the lady with unblemished records in public service remains a clear indication that the current administration led by Buhari has damned the consequences in his bid to ensure that every strategic office in the country is held by northerners, a parochial effort which accounts for the present day abysmal socio-economic rating of the country.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration notwithstanding, the enormous contribution of Akwa Ibom state to the oil revenue of the country never deemed it fit to appoint any indigene of the state into the management and board of the NNPC, any of its major subsidiaries or in any other strategic position in the public office.

“Sadly, no indigene of Akwa Ibom state is today found in the first to third leadership structure in military, paramilitary and other major public offices in the country.”

The group further lamented that against the spirit of the constitution and total neglect of the diverse nature of the country, the Buhari’s administration has ensured a calculated and gradual transfer of leadership positions both in civil and public offices to northerners, sacrificing merit, competence and geographical spread against the spirit of the constitution.

“It is also regrettable to state emphatically that the incumbent administration has carefully and consciously concentrated the entire leadership of Nigeria’s security architecture on only the northern section of the country to the detriment of the entire southern region,” the body added.

The group berated presidential aides over the poor handling of COVID-19 palliatives as funds meant for the poor and venerable never got to them and expressed deep concern over the ongoing school feeding programme for pupils who are at home.

“The President should in the interest of peace and unity of the country reverse all biased appointments starting with the recent sacking of the acting Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission, Ms. Mary Uduk, who was relieved of her duty when she deserved confirmation of her appointment. 

“The action was done in bad faith,” the leaders pleaded.

Akwa Ibom Leaders’ Vanguard said the federal government should as a matter of justice and equity accord adequate recognition to Akwa Ibom state, owing to its enormous contributions to the national treasury by appointing sons/daughters of the state into public positions.

“The President should urgently, nip the doomsday in the bud by arresting the rising angst among Nigerians via discontinuing the pursuit of sectional agenda in appointments into public offices,” the group added.