The dissolved boards were among the 209 constituted by former President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2017.
A statement by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, had said only boards of commissions and councils listed in the third schedule, part one section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were excluded from the president’s directive.
The Nigeria Judicial Council, Code of Conduct Bureau; Council of State; Federal Character Commission; Federal Civil Service Commission; Independent National Electoral Commission; National Population Commission; Police Service Commission; and Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission were part of the agencies excluded from the directive.
Tinubu at a meeting with Senators on June 7, had indicated that those who lost elections and other members of the party would not be left out in appointments.
He said: “The elephant is big enough for all members and indeed Nigerians, to have a share of the renewed hope in due course.”
However, in separate interviews with The Guardian, experts, who listed attributes of successful board membership, stated that political patronage should not be considered above competence.
According to them, competence is critical and if Nigeria has not started taken that into consideration, this is the time to start.
Tinubu, during his electioneering campaign, promised to form a government of national competence.
The move to compensate party members with board positions, The Guardian gathered will not allow the president to fill strategic positions in governments with technocrats, and as such achieve his policy of boosting governance without being distracted by politics.
The experts said this was one opportunity for him to ensure that to a large extent, the nation has technocrats and experts in boards.
Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria, Dele Alimi, said whenever vacancies are opened in government, they always appreciate political patronage, which has been operated on by successive governments.
The move, he said had impacted negatively on the efficiency and effectiveness of public parastatals and agencies, stating that most times, political patronage was considered above competence and capabilities.
He said when political consideration is being put out, competence, ability and diversity as enshrined by the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) should be considered.
More importantly, it was regulatory agencies of government that put the code there.
He argued that this was the right time for the government to also walk the talk.
Another aspect Alimi mentioned no one had taken into consideration is the enabling law establishing some of these agencies.
He said the pre-NCCG code pre-Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 for most of the parastatals needed to be reviewed.
According to him, a lot of things have changed in terms of boards appointment and leadership with CAMA 2020 and the NCCG.
“For instance, there is the presence of independent directors on boards, even as the public enterprises are not Plcs, what the regulatory authorities preach, other organisations should try and be able to conform and this is one of the areas government needs to look at.
“So, if the government needs to go back to the National Assembly and review those laws establishing those agencies to ensure that the boards can be made to be filled with competent people and also meet the requirements of the law, they should do it. Even if it means delaying those appointments a little to ensure Nigeria can conform to all the legal extant laws establishing those organisations.
“Truth is you cannot 100 per cent avoid political patronage but let’s assume that within them, there may be experts in various areas. However, my take is political patronage should not be considered above competence. Competence is critical and if we have not started before, this is the time to start,” he said.
A Human Resource (HR) expert, ‘Tunde Olagunju, said meritocracy should come first in defining the country’s role as a nation and not be based on ‘man know man’ or loyalists basis.
Olagunju, who is also the Head, HR and Admin, Kenna Partners, said when meritocracy is established from accountability and trust in those that have worked with the president on what they can do, that could then be an advantage.
He expressed recalled that during Tinubu’s reign as governor, he was able to connect with technocrats.
Similarly, the Director-General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Wale Oyerinde, said Nigerians expected Tinubu to appoint competent individuals to the various governor boards.
“While we know that a lot of people contributed to the president’s election but at this point in the nation, competence and a track record of achievement in the private or public sector, should come first, irrespective of where the person comes from; tribe or party.
“What we expect is that competent people should be appointed into those boards; that is the general expectation of Nigerians and we believe that the president will do the needful. We expect round pegs should be put in round holes, competent individuals with a track record of success or achievement. They should be appointed as ministers too among others,” he suggested.
Founder, Leap Africa, Ndidi Nwuneli, said to become a board member, directors must possess the qualities of being strategic, having oversight and must be able to carry out effective service delivery.
She said being strategic involves setting the organisation’s purpose, values, objectives and direction.
She said the director must be able to manage top appointments strategy and policy formulation, as well as shape culture and uphold values.
Nwuneli, who is also the co-founder of Sahel Consulting Agriculture Limited, said directors must ensure effective execution, ensure cost-effective management of corporate resources, and oversee financial management of the organisations, as well as self-evaluation and others.
For effective service, she said directors must support and advise management, report to stakeholders and represent the organisations externally.
Nwuneli added before deciding to become a board member, directors must ask themselves the question of why they want to serve on a board, what value do they want to add and the value they will gain?
