Congratulations to our new 43 Ministers
By M. Malumfashi
My
friend from the other side of the Country asked me, “What is your take on
these new Ministers?” My response, I will write about it. This is
what I think about the new government that happens to be large this time around, unusual of our austerian President who just made a record of being a Petroleum Minister three times in Nigeria - beating Diezani Madukwe and Late Rilwan Luqman.
Congratulations
to our Honorable Ministers. Let me first congratulate Mr. President for having
a cabinet just about 6 months, after winning the Presidential election.
Improvement from 2015 and far better than the 20 State Governors who have still
not yet named their cabinet in late August. Then let me appeal that please none of you
Ministers should resign this time to take a UN Post or become an Emir in his
village. Some people will even try to contest for Governors in few months.
Please you know it is not easy for Baba to replace anyone in the FEC. It took months
and even years in some case, to replace members of the FEC in the last tenure.
When
I first saw the list I showed a friend a rare of picture of Alhaji Sabo Na
Nono, seeing the nature and position of his cap, my Kano brother who have never
heard the name, told me, that is our Next Minister of Agriculture. Which post
do you give to a man whose last active duty was before I was born, someone
said. We were right! George Akume will
head the Special Duties Ministry that has been brought back to life again. I
was expecting the Benue man to take the Interior Ministry, not only because of
the recent troubles in the middle belt, he has before held similar roles before
his former PDP kicked him out of the Senate.
When
Rauf Aregbesola told his staff that he doesn’t know anything about his new
Ministry, I was proved right. It is like Ogbeni learnt little from the retreat
series that were held in the Aso Villa. But take a look at it, why forward a
large name of people to some of their former colleagues to be appointed
Ministers without knowing their designated portfolio? That was why one Lady
Senator asked a nominee what he would do if appointed the next Women’s
Minister, she said the man looks handsome, so could fit? Until the day of
inauguration, Aregbesola had no idea about the functions of Interior Ministry.
This is what we call short-gun exercise in the University. The lecturer hits
you with a bullet unexpected. Ogbeni Aregbe, you have no cause to worry, I
heard the last thing your predecessor did in that Ministry was to announce
dates for public holidays.
Even
though I may find that unfair, I still believe the former Internal-Affairs
Minister who considering his antecedent, should have done better. People were
relieved to see him and the Ex Defense Minister ousted. Major General Bashir
Magashi from his presentation at NASS should first do something about the long-standing service
chiefs, the Army ranks have been messed up for a while now and the fights have
extended to the police. Again now we have a Ministry of police affairs once
again. Like a new post have been created for his neighbor Sadiya Umar Faruk.
What
caught the attention of many was Festus Keyamo appointed a junior to Godswill
Akpabio. Keyamo before now was an Attorney who was after Akpabio – accused by
EFCC of diverting Akwa Ibom's N110 billion. But you know his sins have been
washed away and he now give commands to his former prosecutor. Sorry that is
the only way to the Next Level. May be Timipre Sylva and Akpabio would have been better
in the Niger Delta Ministry. But Buhari went for a man who the first thing you
read about him on “google” is on EFCC’s seizure of his 48 houses in Abuja as
Nigeria’s Jr. Petrol Minister; He may still to contest for Governor in Bayelsa
in few days. The last time it didn’t end so well with a brilliant Ibe Kachikwu.
I am happy for Kano, Kaduna and Katsina who have a total of 6 big Ministries;
Petroleum, Aviation, Finance and National Planning, Environment, Defense and
Agriculture. That is what 3.5 million votes
gets you in 2019.
I
personally wanted Babatunde Fashola to deal with the power wahala, as a
brilliant Lawyer that he is, Fashola studied the power sector in few weeks
after assuming power, now he’s been relieved that post, I wish Saleh Mamman and
his Cross-River colleague all the best. If you were on Twitter, you must have
observed how Adamu Adamu trended after the news of his reappointment. He was
trained Accountant, later turned Journalist, today he is an Education Minister.
The Honorable Minister said it took him about 18 months to understand his
Ministry, you just can’t waste all that effort and replace him overnight with a
strange man. Working with him this time around is not a Professor but a Lawyer
– turned politician, Buhari made sure the Junior Education Minister comes from
Imo even when you have a former UBEC Chairman, Dr. Muhammad Mahmud and Maryam Katagum on the list. The
new Education II Minister defected to APC hours after he was announced a
Minister. Not bad for a man who will still lose his seat in Court. Well!
Rotimi
Amaechi, Zainab Shamsuna, Abubakar Malami, Hadi Sirika, Lai Mohammed, Ogbonoya
Onu, Chris Ngige, Geoffrey Onyeama, Sulaiman Adamu Tunde Fashola have all
retained their seats. Dr. Onu have a second chance to see Nigeria start making
pencils soon. He is lucky, his former colleague cried he never had a second chance at just 72 years. I
just have few problems, Ngige said he doesn’t know what he will do differently
this time, just keep negotiating, and we may have a new Minimum wage finally in
2020. As for Lai, what will he finally tell that his grand child? Hadi Sirika
is now a full Minister like his former Boss. Malami like other recent AGF have
had controversies. Shamsuna have a
bigger role this time around, not only that Nigeria keeps borrowing every day
under her, she will be responsible for National Budgeting, with the hope of
changing the fiscal cycle. Geoffrey Onyeama is that well gentleman who is our
top External affairs officer, I wish he could just be more aggressive like
NIDCOM’s Abike Dabir and carry few pens in his pocket.
Only
7 of the Ministers are women; Gbemisola Saraki, Sharon Ikeazor, Paul Tallen and
Ramatu Aliyu who will now assist Muhammad Bello in his job of welcoming and saying
goodbyes to Mr. President in Abuja airport frequently. Tough job! I am keen to
see Niyi Adebayo in his big office. Dr. Osagie Enahire has been promoted to a
full Health Minister, he has learnt from his former Boss who asked Doctors to
go back to tailoring business. Sunday Dare will surely know if Argentina is a
club or Country while Zubairu Dada who his people believe is a PDP mole will
work with Onyeama. Someone like Dr. Isa Pantami is just the right man in the
right place. All the best.
Now
my friend has been missing for the past 3 weeks, which Minister will be in
charge of finding Dadiyata? #WhereIsDadiyata? #PrayForDadiyata!
#WeAreAllDadiyata!!
Welcome
Next Level Ministers, yes, Welcome!
Muhammad
Malumfashi is on Twitter @m_malumfashi
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