Rights group faults re-launch of WAI scheme

Urges Buhari to redress alleged lopsided appointments
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has faulted the recent re-launching of the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it’s “anachronistic and undemocratic.”

It also called on the President to immediately redress the widespread claims of high-level lopsided federal appointments.

The WAI was the hallmark of Buhari’s military government between 1984 and 1985 after soldiers overtook the civilian government of President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983.

In a statement by the National Co-ordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said what the current administration calls ‘war against indiscipline’ has become anachronistic, irrelevant and undemocratic, stressing that the move by the Ministry of Information and Culture amounted to an illegality that must be discouraged forthwith.

HURIWA also cautioned that any plot to set up a bogus quasi-military outfit in the name of war against indiscipline brigade violates the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The group added that any such organ to become operational is required by necessity that such a body must be created by an Act of National Parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Besides, the rights group also restated her call on President Buhari to take practical steps to correct the glaring imbalances in his strategic appointments so far, especially in the military and policing institutions.

It stated that the appointments violate Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution which affirms thus: “The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies.”

The group reminded the President that as an elected statesman who was administered a binding oath of office in line with the Nigerian constitution, he must comply with the spirit and letter of the Nigerian supreme law and equitably redistribute strategic appointments to reflect the federal character of Nigeria.