Buhari visits Obi of Onitsha, speaks about military appointments

President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration has been fair to all Nigerians in political appointments and provision of infrastructure.
Buhari stated this on Thursday in Onitsha during a courtesy visit to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, as part of activities for his presidential campaign in the state.
He said the last time the Enugu-Onitsha and the Enugu-Port Harcourt roads were reconstructed were during the Petroleum Trust Fund days, noting that since then, they were never touched until now.
Buhari also said there were five South-East members in the Executive Council including those appointed as heads of Foreign Affairs; Trade and Investment; Labour and Employment; and Science and Technology.
On appointment of security heads, the president explained that entry point for recruitment into the security agencies were the same for all but noted that the most competent were promoted for appointments.
He said: “If you have half a million soldiers, only one can be the Chief of Army Staff at that time; this works for the rest of all security agencies.
“I am telling you that the present Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air staff, even the previous Inspector-General of Police, I did not know them personally before I appointed them.
“The present I-G, I could not even recall I have ever seen him, it is on record; so, appointments in the armed forces and other law enforcement agencies depend on individual performance after recruitment and not based on state of origin.”
He urged traditional rulers to regard themselves as the immediate security supervisors in their communities, noting that security of the country was a collective responsibility.
Buhari commended the Christian Association of Nigeria for their sensitivity to voter education.
He said his administration was committed to the completion of all federal roads in the South-East zone as well as rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
He said he would continue to follow due process in the prosecution of corrupt leaders in the country.
In his remarks, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra commended the president for the visit and for clarifying some of the issues bothering the people of the zone.
Obiano also commended Buhari for releasing money for the construction of the second Niger Bridge.
The governor urged the president not to relent on the project which he said would transform the country.
In a brief remark, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe welcomed the president to Onitsha.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the president was received by all the traditional rulers, heads of Christian Denominations and Community leaders in the state at the palace of the Onitsha monarch.
NAN further reports that the president proceeded to inaugurate Zik Mausoleum which was completed 23 years after it was initiated and then to Holy Trinity, Onitsha for his presidential campaign.