President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a list of his 43 ministerial-nominees to the Senate, comprising 14 returnee ministers and 29 new appointees.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who read out the President’s letter at plenary on Tuesday, said the screening of the nominees would start on Wednesday (today).
Buhari returns 14 former ministers, drops 17.
The returnee ministers include Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) ) Hadi Sirika (Katsina), Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna), Lai Mohammed (Kwara) and Chris Ngige (Anambra)Adamu Adamu (Bauchi), Abubakar Malami (Kebbi), Godfrey Onyeama (Enugu), Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi), Osagie Enahire (Edo), Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa), Mohammed Bello (Adamawa) and Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Borno)
While among the new appointees are Ambassador Maryam Katagun (Bauchi), Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa) and George Akume (Benue).
However, some of the former ministers who were not reappointed are: Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia), Udo Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom), Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa), Audu Ogbeh ( Benue) and Usani Uguru (Cross River).
Others are Ibe Kachikwu (Delta), Anthony Anwuka (Imo ), Stephen Ochani (Kogi), Abdulrahaman Dambazau (Kano), Abubakar Bawa Bwari ( Niger ), Cladius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo), Isaac Adewole (Osun ), Adebayo Shittu (Oyo ), Solomon Dalong (Plateau), Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto ) and Mansur Dan Ali (Zamfara).
Akpabio, Saraki, Sylva, Keyamo, Mamora, Akume make Buhari’s list
But a former Senate Minority Leader, Goodwill Akpabio, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, and Buhari’s campaign spokesperson, Festus Keyamo, were among the list of ministerial-nominees sent to the Senate for screening on Tuesday.
The list also included Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, former governor Rauf Aregbesola, former governor Niyi Adebayo and former governor Timipre Sylva, among others.
Buhari appoints serving lawmaker who dumped APC as minister
On the list is one of the newly inaugurated members of the House of Representatives, Emeka Nwajiuba.
Nwajiuba, a native of Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, is representing Okigwe South federal constituency.
He was elected on the platform of the Accord Party.
Nwajiuba, a former member of the APC, defected to the AP after a running battle with the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.
Buhari’s list full of incompetent individuals, says PDP
For instance, the PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said Buhari’s ministerial list was colourless, stagnant, uninspiring and did not convey any sense of hope or purposeful governance.
Ologbondiyan said to the utter disappointment of Nigerians, the list was replete with alleged incompetent individuals who failed in their erstwhile ministerial assignments and allegedly left their ministries in a shambles.
According to him, such a ministerial list can only come from a leadership that does not have the mandate of the people.
Ologbondiyan said, “The list has further shown Buhari and the APC’s insensitivity and disdain for Nigerians and it does not in any way reflect their hope and eagerness for a better Nigeria.
“Furthermore, in recycling failed yesterday’s men for today’s assignment, Buhari and the APC have left no one in doubt that they have no vision to move our nation out of the economic and security predicaments into which they have plunged us in the last four years.”
Buhari’s list lacks innovation, says ASUU
Also, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said Buhari’s list lacked innovation.
He noted that the President did not attach portfolios to the names of the nominees.
Ogunyemi stated, “The other observation is that there isn’t much innovation on the list. People are talking of a generation change and injecting fresh blood or a mixture of the old and the new. But the new names on the list are people who have been in the political circle for some time. I am sure the younger generation would have been looking out for a list that would have accommodated their interest and representation.”
Nominees are mostly recycled politicians, says NECA
Also, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association said the ministerial nominees list contained mostly names of recycled politicians.
The Director-General, NECA, Mr Timothy Olawale, said Nigerians had waited and expected to see some names of technocrats on the list, but the association discovered that the list contained mostly recycled politicians that were picked based on political patronage and mostly for their roles as party men.
He said, “We had expected that with the delay by the President in constituting his cabinet, the team would be populated by professionals that had distinguished themselves in their area of calling.
“That the selection would be based on merit and what they could offer by way of adding value to governance. While we cannot say those on the list cannot deliver on the government’s agenda, we note that they are mostly recycled politicians that are picked based on political patronage and mostly for their roles as party men.
“We had hoped party considerations would be set aside to assemble technocrats that could lead the nation out of its current economic doldrums.
“We only hope their tenure in office will be that of meritorious service to the nation and the good of the people and not marked by opportunity to recoup expenses incurred for political activities in the last elections. Nigerians are watching to assess them and it remains to be seen if they will selflessly live up to expectations.”
