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President Buhari and ministerial politics

By Akpo Esajere
12 October 2015   |   2:22 am
AFTER months of anxiety and speculations, the Senate last week unveiled the names of 21 ministerial nominees sent to the upper legislative chamber by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 30. The nominees consist of five former governors, three women, ex-Senators, lecturers, erstwhile Chief of Army Staff, ex-ministers and politicians. And beginning from tomorrow, the upper…
President Buhari

President Buhari

AFTER months of anxiety and speculations, the Senate last week unveiled the names of 21 ministerial nominees sent to the upper legislative chamber by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 30.

The nominees consist of five former governors, three women, ex-Senators, lecturers, erstwhile Chief of Army Staff, ex-ministers and politicians. And beginning from tomorrow, the upper chamber of the National Assembly commences a screening exercise that appears bound to provoke high-wired politicking and intrigues.

Leaked to the media before it was finally unveiled, the exercise is already dogged by public complaints and protests.
Buhari takes charge in straight-faced play

The President had picked his so-called ministerial dream team by playing it close to his chest. He may have considered very little how anybody felt, his party included. On the other hand, he may have consulted but in the end did what he felt was best for his administration and the country.

Sources say a number of state governors and some senior government officials and aides made suggestions. Governor Malam Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, for example, an influential member of the President’s kitchen cabinet was credited with making some inputs.

But on the whole, Buhari seems to rely principally on his personal judgment and extraneous considerations. And while leaders of his party All Progressives Congress (APC) from the North had welcomed his choices, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State who is also a national leader of the party and the South West caucus, is said to be affronted over not being consulted.

On Buhari’s appointments, Tinubu and the South West caucus seems now confined and made to play from the sidelines. The President and the North on the other hand takes charge and are on the driver’s seat.

The President emerged assertive. Buhari might not readily fulfill the constitutional requirement to pick ministers from the nation’s 36 states. He seems likely to be in no hurry to exceed the 21 already chosen.

Nigeria under Buhari is cutting excessive bureaucratic costs. On that note, he is unlikely to place much stock on the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the Senate that he must furnish the upper chamber of the National Assembly with a complete ministerial list before commencement of screening.

This question was dealt with at length by the 2014 National Conference. In conclusion, the august body recommended that the country’s federal cabinet be trimmed to not more than 18 ministers. Buhari has never referred to the confab report. But he would find it a worthy companion pamphlet for his campaign for good governance, fighting corruption and engineering a viable economy.

Reasoning behind his choices
While sections of the public are fuming over “needless delay” for four months to come up with a list of mostly familiar faces whose profiles either as politicians or public figures are well-known, Buhari had played his aces.

Take some of the nominees like Abdulraman Bello Danbazau, (Kano), Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan (Taraba) and Abubakar Malami (Kebbi), a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Danbazau and Malami seem to have had their jobs cut out for them.

Danbazau, a retired Army general, a former Chief of Army Staff and the only retired Army officer on the list appears marked for the Defence Ministry. Given the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency ravaging many parts of the North, his appointment completes Buhari’s unspoken desire to get northern officers, serving or retired, involved as far as possible in the battle.

Any of Malami or Babatunde Raji Fashola (Lagos), also a SAN and even Udoma Udo-Udoma (Akwa-Ibom) appear tailored for the Attorney General and justice ministry. Udo-Udoma, who has served as a senator, and to a greater extent, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and even Amina Ibrahim (Gombe) would be good for foreign affairs. Hagiya Amina is however well-suited for planning. It has been her forte both nationally and internationally.

Al-Hassan who represented Taraba North on the PDP ticket in the 7th Assembly fought a governorship war under the APC in the last election. In the end she lost out. Buhari may simply have made up his mind to bring her on board – a sort of reward for her doggedness and loyalty.

Her nomination bears some similarity with Senator Chris Ngige (Anambra) and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (Abia).

Ngige, who was in the 7th Senate under the APC, and fought a war for his re-election in his home state based on his personal popularity (APC produced no South-East senator) failed to make it. The odds were inflexibly stacked against him. Still he had stuck to the APC in the zone.

Onu, like Bayo Shittu (Oyo), is a long distance runner with Buhari. With him on board, the President had kept faith with a comrade in partisan politics.

National Assembly and screening of ministerial nominees
It will not be rosy on the floor of the Senate for a number of the nominees. Most of them will be drilled. But none may be dropped.

They will all likely sail through, not necessarily due to their outstanding public profiles. First, in making the President’s list, they are facing screening riding on his initial approval in choosing them.

The President’s famed integrity and popularity is still impressively intact despite policy moves, decisions and postures that have drawn flak.

Besides, the ministerial exercise is being criticized more for “unnecessary delay” than the President’s choices. The overwhelmingly public view seem to be either indifferent to the choices or merely to wait and see how Buhari and the men he chooses to work with will deliver the goods.

On the face of it, the Senate could not do a good job. Its headship under Senate President Bukola Saraki is seemingly compromised. Saraki has been dragged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to answer to allegations concerning improper declaration of his assets and properties.

In the reality of politics, that is not how it works. Buhari had given Saraki the cold shoulder since he was elected, against the will of some leaders of his party as Senate President.

By virtue of his election, he becomes not only head of the bicameral National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) but number three citizen of the country.

Now, the President finds he has to relate and liaise with the Saraki. Buhari might have to lobby him, no matter how badly he feels about the Senate President’s headship of the assembly, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the legislature. The 2016 Appropriation Bill is just round the bend. It is all about democratic duty.

Senators could ask the President to attach portfolios in a bid to bring about an effective and purposeful screening. They will score with the public on this one. The absence of portfolios makes the exercise look no different from farcical clearances granted ministerial nominees on the floor of the Senate in the past.

The 8th Senate last week made screening rules tougher for Buhari’s nominees, including requiring them to get the support of two senators from their state.

A number of the nominees are thus bound to face challenge during the exercise. The going looks rough for Hagiya Amina, for example, despite being a well-heeled nominee. Although she hails from Gombe State, she is reportedly representing Kaduna, her husband’s state.

Meanwhile, a petition by the people of the southern constituency of Kaduna to upturn her nomination was lodged by Senator Danjuma La’ah representing the area last Thursday. She is said to have the backing of Governor el-Rufai. She is also likely to get the support of Kaduna’s two other senators, Shehu Sani and Suleiman Hunkuyi of the APC.

The former governors especially Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Babatunde Fashiola (Lagos) seem to draw directly from Buhari’s resolve to play faithfully by sticking to them despite alleged oppositions.

Amaechi clearly didn’t get “home support,” neither will PDP senators approve of his nomination. Amaechi, and his successor, incumbent Governor Nyeson Wike are in endless combat.

It will be stiff for Fashola. Along with Fayemi, they have become something like “rebels” or “traitors” back in the South West. Like them, other South West nominees – Shittu and Mrs. Kemi Adeosun (Ogun) had made the list allegedly without Tinubu being consulted.

Feyemi was however backed by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti of PDP last weekend. Fashola may not receive ready support from the three Lagos senators of the APC.

Chief Audu Ogbeh and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, respectively leader of APC from Benue State in the North Central (middle-belt) zone and National Publicity Secretary of the APC from Kwara also in the middle-belt, are a political masterstroke of sorts by Buhari.

With them, the President demonstrates independence of choices and strategic considerations. He had to reward his trusted allies. He also had an eye for national outlook or aim to build a strong political base.

While Amaechi falls into this group, his case may feature a repeat of Senator Musliu Obanikro from Lagos in 2011. “Koro” (his nickname) was initially denied support by the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) senators. Later they yielded.

But unlike Koro, the going won’t be smooth Amaechi. Last Wednesday, one of the three senators from Rivers, George Sekibo, tabled a petition seeking Amaechi’s rejection. Although the move attracted uproar on the floor, the petition was thereafter referred to an ad-hoc committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions. Senate President Bukola Saraki directed the committee to act on it before the plenary tomorrow.

NOMINEES from South-East and South South states may likely on lobby to scale screening. In both geo-political zones, the APC produced no senator.

However, a seemingly well-placed nominee Dr. Ibe Kachikwu from Delta State whom Buhari had appointed as managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and has been functioning well in that capacity looks likely to scale screening with little or no hoopla.

With the President taking direct supervision of the sector as Petroleum minister, Ibe’s job as minister of state seem already cut out for him.

On the whole, Buhari’s ministerial list produced no sparks aside his taking four months to bring it out, and hair-splitting over his decision to double as petroleum minister. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also ran the ministry directly for six of the eight years of his rule.

Every President of this country wanted to control and supervises the oil ministry. The only difference is that this is a decisive moment for the nation (apologies to Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah).

Buhari has had the singular opportunity to observe, learn and correct the mistakes and ugly behaviour of he past.

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