President Buhari Alledgedly Appoints Son-In-Law, Junaid Abdullahi As Head Of Border Agency

President Muhammadu Buhari has been accused of committing nepotism, following the report that he quietly appointed his son-in-law Junaid Abdullahi, who is a retired pilot as the head of Nigeria’s Border Communities Development Agency.

Abdullahi was married to Zulaihat, Mr Buhari’s first daughter who passed away at the age of 40 in 2012 from childbirth complications.

According to a report from Premium Times, Abdullahi has assumed duties at the agency on a low-key since October 18 after taking over from Jummai Idakwo, the former director of the agency.

It was not clear why both the presidency kept quite over the appointment, such appointments are usually announced by either the Presidency or the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

A government source who learned about the appointment last month said it might have been hushed to save Mr Buhari the trouble of again being accused of nepotism. Due to the fact that the president has faced regular allegations of being sectional, with critics saying his appointments have been lopsided since he assumed office in 2015.

Critics has often raised concerns about how most key federal appointments, especially top national security positions, have been ceded to northerners.

Last week, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Oby Ezekwesili, said Mr Buhari was Nigeria’s “most nepotistic” leader ever.

Mr Buhari has repeatedly denied the allegations, and often urged Nigerians to scrutinize his appointments, after which they are likely to reach a different conclusion.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has also said the administration’s appointments are not lopsided and suggested that more seats have gone to the south than the north under Mr Buhari.