By Shola Abayomi.
The Stakeholders Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has frowned at the recent appointments announced by the office of the Senate President, describing it as ‘glaring reward’ for acerbic critics of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Forum, while addressing reporters in Abuja today, chastised what it regarded as the ‘heartbreaking and disappointing’ appointment of renowned antagonist of President Buhari, Festus Adebayo, as media adviser, and the retaining of Olu Onemola and Tope Olowoyeye (aides of former senate president, Bukola Saraki) as new aides to Lawan.
In a statement by the Forum’s spokesperson, Mr Abu Andrew, it was disclosed that although it was exclusively Lawan’s prerogative to select his aides, the appointments were unbearable, given to the fact that the appointees had severally insulted the president and antagonized Lawan himself.
The statement said, “It’s most likely that many of you have seen the heartbreaking and disappointing appointments announced by the office of the Senate President. While we acknowledge and concede that the choice of personal aides is the exclusive right of the political leaders concerned; we however find it unbearable that the names announced so far are those of known antagonists of the present government and acerbic critics of President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President Ahmed Lawan himself.
“No doubt, the appointments are glaring reward for people who have not only insulted the person of President Muhammadu Buhari but also severally maligned the integrity of the office he occupies. Even for supporting Senator Lawan to be Senate President, these new appointees did not spare the President. Now that Senator Lawan has achieved his ambition, it’s disheartening to see that the very people he puts forward as beneficiaries of his new position are those who condemned and vilified those who supported him to attain the position in the first place.
“The appointments made by Senate President Lawan so far have made every rational youth of APC who championed the campaign for Ahmed Lawal Senate Presidency to question their choice. When the Senate President we all supported with our hearts and worked for wholeheartedly begins to compensate enemies of the government, those of the party and indeed those of the same President Buhari who endured insults for backing Senator Lawan for Senate President position; then the devil himself must be celebrated for doing a good job in turning a Senate President we brought in against us so soon and so fast”, it stated.
The group further revealed that the recent action of the Senate President came as a betrayal to many party leaders, which makes them wonder if Senator Ali Ndume would have been a better choice after all.
“We may never know all the reasons behind the inexplicable appointments made by Senate President Lawan. However, we do know that every minute since the announcement of those appointments, many frontline party leaders and a large number of young people in the party have kept asking if Senator Ali Ndume was right afterall for insisting that he was better than Senator Lawan as Senate President. No doubt, the actions of Senate President Lawan, especially regarding the appointments he has made so far, bear the telltale sign of a betrayal.”
The group however made appeals to the Senate President to review the appointments and make adjustments that would further endear him to the multitude of young party faithful who see promise in his leadership.