Barrister Bilyaminu Lukman Maihanchi, a human rights lawyer, has frowned at President Mohammadu Buhari over his delay in appointing a minister from Taraba State.
In a petition to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Lukman expressed sadness that the President had not deemed it fit to appoint a minister from the state since the removal of the former Minister of Power, Engineer Saleh Mamman.
Citing sections 147(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he said the section stipulates that “each state of the federation shall have a minister representing it at the Federal Executive Council (FEC)”.
In the said petition, which was copied to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lukman beckoned on the Attorney General of the federation to as a matter of urgency advise the President to adhere to the provisions of the constitution by going ahead to appoint a minister from the state.
He said since the removal of the former Minister for Power, the president has not deemed it necessary to reappoint a substantive minister from the state into his cabinet to run the affairs of the country to the stipulations of the constitution.
“It is a known fact that the people of Taraba State voted for the president to work for the betterment of all the people of Taraba State.”
He said since the President failed or intentionally refused to appoint an indigene of Taraba State following the removal of Mamman, the action of the President connote that he has been running the affairs of the government without a representative from Taraba State in the executive council.
“The president’s failure or refusal to appoint a minister who is an indigene of Taraba State, and to hold regular meetings for three months, is an act of gross misconduct in the performance of his office.”
“Running the government for three months without appointing a minister from Taraba and also the failure to hold regular meetings for the period of three months without a representative from Taraba State is an intentional violation of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Describing the President’s action as a deliberate violation of the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said such an offence is an act of gross misconduct and an impeachable act.
Urging the President to strictly comply with the constitution, he said Tarabans will not go to bed pending when a minister is appointed from the state.
