It’s taken nearly five months but Nigeria — Africa’s biggest economy, most populous nation and number one oil producer — may get a government this week.
Final screening of 36 ministerial nominees is due to take place from Tuesday, ending a lengthy process that has earned President Muhammadu Buhari a less than flattering nickname.
Buhari, dubbed “Baba Go Slow” for the time it has taken him to appoint ministers since he took office in May, will then assign the candidates portfolios once they are approved.
Buhari declared before his election: “Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed to my administration.”
He has already begun a purge of the NNPC, appointing Kachikwu and ordering an audit of the group’s opaque accounting practices to identify and recover stolen funds.
At the same time, former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke was arrested in London as part of a British investigation into international corruption.
Her arrest — and the sealing of her house in Abuja by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission agents — has left few in doubt at Buhari’s seriousness in tackling graft.
But his nomination of Amaechi, his presidential campaign manager, could muddy the waters as he is subject to a probe ordered by the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers.
Amaechi switched sides from the PDP to the APC in 2013 and the elections in March, which the APC lost in Rivers, were marred by violence, bad blood and claims of electoral fraud.
Malte Liewerscheidt, senior Africa analyst at political consultants Verisk Maplecroft, said the claims against Amaechi could dent Buhari’s image as a “Mr Clean”.
“Buhari’s open support of Amaechi, who is enveloped in corruption allegations, will furnish the opposition with opportunities to undermine Buhari’s trademark anti-graft image,” he said.
Since the first names were submitted to parliament on September 30, speculation has been rife about which post goes where.
But some appointments look clearer than others.
Ibe Kachikwu, the new head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is a virtual certainty to serve as junior oil minister, after Buhari said he will personally oversee the ministry himself.
Former army chief Abdulrahman Dambazau is in line for the defence portfolio, which has been dominated for the last six years by the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast.
Former Ekiti state governor Kayode Fayemi has been tipped for foreign affairs.
Since he was sworn in on May 29, Buhari has been running Nigeria with permanent secretaries (senior civil servants), laying himself open to charges of autocracy.
But the 72-year-old, who headed a military government in the 1980s, has blamed the late reception of handover notes from the previous administration for the time taken to make his nominations.
Political commentator Chris Ngwodo suggested that as well as the “political back-and-forth” about potential nominees, he has also been looking at revamping failing government structures.
“He wanted to finish all that. He wanted to be able to conduct a proper audit of the federal bureaucracy before getting ministers,” he told AFP.
As for the candidates, Buhari — elected on a promise of “change” — is constitutionally bound to nominate candidates from each of Nigeria’s 36 states.
“‘The List’ has much to commend and cause for thought too,” said Max Siollun, a historian and author of “Oil, politics and violence: Nigeria’s military coup culture (1966-1976)”.
“It is a pragmatic list that combines technocratic talent with the need for careful ethno-regional balancing.
“Buhari could not appoint an entire cabinet 100 percent composed of trailblazing reformers.
“He had to take vested interests into account and include ministers who may not be his personal first choices but who are allied to the politicians that helped him to get elected.”
The technocrats include Kachikwu, a former ExxonMobil executive, and Ogun state finance commissioner Kemi Adeosun, a former investment banker and accountant, who has been tipped for finance minister.
Both reflect Buhari’s priorities to overhaul the notoriously-corrupt oil sector and boost the economy, which has been battered by the fall in global oil prices since last year.
Figures such as the former Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola and Rotimi Amaechi, his counterpart in oil-rich Rivers State, were his “political IOU”, said Ngwodo.
“It’s generally a good balance… personally I think it’s a decent list for both considerations,” he added.
“He’s covered the right bases. A lot of it has shown his own individual mindedness. He’s been able to assert himself against the interests of the party.”
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This article is completely baseless, mischievous and reeks of person vendetta. Ameachi has not be proven guilty as alleged and people are making hues and cries about his integrity. An attack on Ameachi is an attack on PMB because it's only logical that Ameachi is a victim of this evil viturperations and malignant accusations because of his die hard support for PMB. I feel personally that PMB will ensure that he is not ruined by this Politically Displaced People (PDP) and ethnic chauvinist in the Niger delta.
ReplyDeleteThe issue Turakin is that the accusations are weighty. In appointing a Minister under a regime whose mantra is zero tolerance for corruption, it would be far-fetched to insist that the person be first convicted if you are to disqualify the person. If that is the case, Buhari might as well appoint Stella Oduah and Diezani ministers - after all, they have not been convicted. The truth is that with the emergence of Buhari, a political revolution has happened. For the first time, Nigeria has a President who was not anointed by "the powers that be" but was voted in by the common man seeking genuine change. In a revolution, the fact that you were in the forefront of the revolution does not mean that you may not be consumed by the same revolution if it is found out that you have perpetuated some of the acts which the revolution seeks to change. History is replete with this.I believe it would be in every one's best interest if the Senate does not confirm him for now. That way Buhari would not be seen to have abandoned him while at the same time the President would not be accused of having tainted persons in his govt. Amaechi no doubt played a pivotal role in ensuring that the change Nigerian's desired was achieved, but it is not enough to over - look any accusation of misdeeds. After all, God even told David who was a man after His heart that he could not build his temple because his hands were stained with blood and left that task for David's son Solomon. I believe Amaechi should be allowed to defend himself of these weighty charges without serving as a detraction to Buhari's government and if he is found innocent there is plenty of opportunity for him in Government.
DeleteNo one has ever been proven guilty. Is Akpabio proven guilty. Why the Efcc embarrassment.I live in rivers state. If Ameachi is not Guilty. Then apologies should be given to late alamensighia. Cos the hole of his second tenure, he didn't do anything. But was receiving allocations monthly.
DeleteTurakin is an ethnic bigot, as all his postings on this site has shown. The corruption Amaechi is accused of is the money of rivers state not that of the feudal north, so allow people from the state to defend him and not a Boko haram infested northern commentators. You are only supporting him cos he packed Rivers state money to support your cause. Amaechi has a case hanging on his neck and without him Buhari can still perform unless the corruption fight was just a smoke screen!!!
DeleteDele Momodu knows what he is talking about, Amaechi started very well, equipped schools and had infrastructures on ground and was willing to do more for Rivers people b4 the enemies began to miss-led Jonathan. and the entire PDP was used to make sure Rivers under Amaechi was crippled. it amasses me Y governor Wike have not ask for a return of Rivers state oil wells taken from them and given to Bayelsa, they make sure they was a justification of why Rivers state allocation was to be depleted, from over 20B to about 6B when salaries alone was about 9B. Rivers people would definitely know one day that real enemy of Rivers was MRS Jonathan and governor Wike....... if they feel he stole Rivers Monies let them take him to a constitutional court and stop their evil plan to smear his name he has told them
DeleteAmechi is a major financier of Buhari, he can't be touched it's only logical the reward him with something. And Mr Buhari is not clean.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of Amechi is a controversialone. Yes it will indeed question Mr President's integrity. But as a human, i do not expect him to totally shun Amechi after all he did for APC and him directly or indirectly. I also believe if Amechi is found guilty, he, PMB will not interfere with the course of the law. Let us all put ourselves in PMB's shoes before we start judging him.
ReplyDeleteSo why do we crucify GEJ for giving Alam presidential pardon?why are we crucifying Oduah?Diezani?etc.have dey bin convicted? Are dey guilty?NO.why are we praising PMB?
DeleteMaybe once something is said about u, it means you are guilty. Pls Saraki should also step down since he has a case with cct. Ameachi will be made minister whether you people like it or yes. Tribalism and Gejilism will not stop the lion of d Niger delta from Roaring. Even that so called wike-d will soon know who he has messing with. By Ameachi i stand for better for worse. Sail on great man.!
ReplyDeleteWhen has Amaechi become the treasure of the northern Muslims that can not be touched. If the northern Muslims and their collaborators from the south western axis so loved Amaechi let them come out plain on how to compensate people that are daily killed all over the north by boko haram. The Moslems APC should remember Amaechi has only one vote when 2019 comes
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