Dead appointees: Sagay slams Buhari’s critics

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has berated those criticising
President Muhammadu Buhari for including the names of eight
deceased persons on his new list of appointees into the board of
Federal Government agencies.

The Arewa Consultative Forum, a former Minister of Education,
Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, and some other notable Nigerians had
criticised the President for the gaffe

However, Sagay told our correspondent during a telephone
interview on Monday that the fuss generated over the list was
needless.

The senior advocate said the list was compiled over a year ago
and there was no way the President would have known that eight
persons out of 1,467 on the list had died

He said, “This list has been under preparation for over two
years. There were recommendations from governors, ministers and
other important members of the APC. And that list has about 1, 500
persons. So, can any normal person be surprised that about six
people have died out of almost 2,000 in two years?

“Also, was the Presidency supposed to have visited the homes of
each of the appointees to know if they were still alive? The
outrage is unreasonable and needless. Even as we speak, how do you
know that one or two persons have not died since their appointments
were announced? Do we control life?

“The impression that I have is that the Nigerian elite have a
Lilliputian mind. For me, the whole episode shows the stupidity of
those who were outraged. I think it is evidence of idleness of
mind.”

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has berated those criticising
President Muhammadu Buhari for including the names of eight
deceased persons on his new list of appointees into the board of
Federal Government agencies.

The Arewa Consultative Forum, a former Minister of Education,
Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, and some other notable Nigerians had
criticised the President for the gaffe

However, Sagay told our correspondent during a telephone
interview on Monday that the fuss generated over the list was
needless.

The senior advocate said the list was compiled over a year ago
and there was no way the President would have known that eight
persons out of 1,467 on the list had died

He said, “This list has been under preparation for over two
years. There were recommendations from governors, ministers and
other important members of the APC. And that list has about 1, 500
persons. So, can any normal person be surprised that about six
people have died out of almost 2,000 in two years?

“Also, was the Presidency supposed to have visited the homes of
each of the appointees to know if they were still alive? The
outrage is unreasonable and needless. Even as we speak, how do you
know that one or two persons have not died since their appointments
were announced? Do we control life?

“The impression that I have is that the Nigerian elite have a
Lilliputian mind. For me, the whole episode shows the stupidity of
those who were outraged. I think it is evidence of idleness of
mind.”