The Presidency has rejected claims that the President Bola Tinubu administration is favouring the South West in security sector appointments.

Critics, particularly on social media, had accused the administration of “Yorubanisation” following the appointment of Major General Olufemi Oluyede as Acting Chief of Army Staff.

Reacting to the allegations, the Presidency stated that appointments were based on competence, while those opposing it highlighted a perceived dominance of South West individuals in key positions, raising concerns about ethnic favouritism in governance, insisting that equally qualified officers from other regions could have temporarily assumed the role.

Oluyede was appointed to act on behalf of General Taoreed Lagbaja, who is receiving medical treatment abroad.

Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, while responding to the criticism shared a breakdown of security appointments under Tinubu’s administration.

The list showed that the North West holds the highest number of security appointments (eight), followed by the South West with five, and the North Central with four. The North East has three appointees, while the South South and South East have one each.

“Facts do not lie. Below we see laid bare the facts about the regional outlook of President Tinubu’s appointments within 20 security agencies. The label of him favouring Yorubas in the security set up does not fit. Nigeria we hail thee!” Dare wrote via his verified x-handle @SundayDareSD