Dasuki’s appointment as NSA: Jonathan not sectional – N/Delta group

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Niger Delta Monday, June 25th, 2012

A Niger Delta-based civil society organisation, People and Environmental Rights Assembly (PERA) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for dispelling the insinuation that he is a sectional leader, by choosing the new National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd) from the core North.

The group, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Mr Mefe Akiri, said genuine sons and daughters of the South-South region had cause to be proud of the decision, in view of recent accusations by critics of his government that he only considered persons from his Ijaw clan or Niger Delta extraction for sensitive positions.

According to the statement, “the appointment of Dasuki as the NSA is one of the things President Jonathan has done recently that has elicited joy and made our region proud again.

“Before now, the critics of this administration have always painted President Jonathan as the enemy of the North and created the impression that he is an Ijaw or South-South president, who will only appoint people from his region into sensitive national positions.

“We are happy that such unfair criticism can no longer hold water, in view of last week’s decision by the president to replace a Niger Delta son with a core northerner as NSA.

“From our findings so far, we are equally happy that the president has not taken the decision to appoint Dasuki to satisfy sectional interest, but based on the retired military officer’s track record, educational qualifications and strong character.

“It is also heartwarming to note that Colonel Dasuki (retd) is a course mate in the Nigerian Defence Academy to General Azazi, from whom he is taking over as NSA.”

The group expressed hope that the new NSA would not disappoint Nigerians who believed in and supported his appointment, based on his credentials and military record.

-Vanguardwp_posts