Ministerial List: What you must know
By Omogbolahan Babs
The much anticipated ministerial list of the Buhari-led administration is set to be released anytime soon. In a couple of hours, names will be rolled out. There is no doubt that against the hoopla and the opprobrium that hallmarked the perceived but overt lackluster performance of many of the ministers in the first term of President Muhammadu Buhari, some of them WILL still find their way back. This, many will want to blame Buhari, but then, that is not how it works! The need to out these facts on the table becomes germane so people can manage their emotions.
Albeit expectations were high recently when people expected, given the happenstance at the National Assembly, that Mr. President would appoint somebody from the south east as either the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) or the Chief of Staff (COF) to Mr. President; but that was at his volition anyway. However, whether Buhari likes it or not, constitutionally he must appoint at least five (5) ministers from the South East, six (6) from the South South and another six (6) from the South West. The remaining ministers are shared among other geopolitical zones of North Central - 6 and the FCT, North West - 7 and North East - 6.
In recent past, which I presume it is still the way it is done; an incumbent governor of state controlled by the ruling party would submit three names to the president to choose from. In states where opposition parties held sway, the party hierarchy or the powers that be in the ruling party of a state not under their control decide whose name to submit. Therefore the best way to become a minister is to court or curry the favour of your governor or the party chairman as the case may be. This is not to say the president cannot reject the entire nominees of the governor or the party. But this usually is eccentric!
When the president rejects nominees, of course he can tell the governor of his preferred choice from the state aside the governor's nominees, it means he will be doing that against the governor's will. And you know governors will not want to be seen having rift with Mr. President. Bad blood is established. That is why sometimes you see ministers having brawl with their state honchos. However, in all of these politicking, a ministerial nominee is not even certain he or she might eventually make the list. Yes, he or she may have been shortlisted, but until such name gets to the Senate, anything can change. Even within 10 minutes from the Senate President's office to the Red Chamber, name may still miss. So, until nominees hear their name, anything can happen!
Now, whether a minister is capable, stainless or otherwise is entirely not the onus on Mr. President. Even if we expect the president to handpick his preferred nominees, can he handpick in the entire 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory? Of course, not. It therefore means he can only to state governors or state party hierarchies as the case may to shop for competent and credible candidates. So, this whole noise about picking people with impeccable character is still subject to the biases of the state governors and party leaders.
Omogbolahan Babs, a Forensic and Criminal Investigation expert writes from Abuja.
The much anticipated ministerial list of the Buhari-led administration is set to be released anytime soon. In a couple of hours, names will be rolled out. There is no doubt that against the hoopla and the opprobrium that hallmarked the perceived but overt lackluster performance of many of the ministers in the first term of President Muhammadu Buhari, some of them WILL still find their way back. This, many will want to blame Buhari, but then, that is not how it works! The need to out these facts on the table becomes germane so people can manage their emotions.
Albeit expectations were high recently when people expected, given the happenstance at the National Assembly, that Mr. President would appoint somebody from the south east as either the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) or the Chief of Staff (COF) to Mr. President; but that was at his volition anyway. However, whether Buhari likes it or not, constitutionally he must appoint at least five (5) ministers from the South East, six (6) from the South South and another six (6) from the South West. The remaining ministers are shared among other geopolitical zones of North Central - 6 and the FCT, North West - 7 and North East - 6.
In recent past, which I presume it is still the way it is done; an incumbent governor of state controlled by the ruling party would submit three names to the president to choose from. In states where opposition parties held sway, the party hierarchy or the powers that be in the ruling party of a state not under their control decide whose name to submit. Therefore the best way to become a minister is to court or curry the favour of your governor or the party chairman as the case may be. This is not to say the president cannot reject the entire nominees of the governor or the party. But this usually is eccentric!
When the president rejects nominees, of course he can tell the governor of his preferred choice from the state aside the governor's nominees, it means he will be doing that against the governor's will. And you know governors will not want to be seen having rift with Mr. President. Bad blood is established. That is why sometimes you see ministers having brawl with their state honchos. However, in all of these politicking, a ministerial nominee is not even certain he or she might eventually make the list. Yes, he or she may have been shortlisted, but until such name gets to the Senate, anything can change. Even within 10 minutes from the Senate President's office to the Red Chamber, name may still miss. So, until nominees hear their name, anything can happen!
Now, whether a minister is capable, stainless or otherwise is entirely not the onus on Mr. President. Even if we expect the president to handpick his preferred nominees, can he handpick in the entire 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory? Of course, not. It therefore means he can only to state governors or state party hierarchies as the case may to shop for competent and credible candidates. So, this whole noise about picking people with impeccable character is still subject to the biases of the state governors and party leaders.
Omogbolahan Babs, a Forensic and Criminal Investigation expert writes from Abuja.
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