Ministerial list and Buhari’s Obstinacy

By Joseph Edgar …
Some names are being touted as possible Ministers. I have tried to ignore these various lists until I saw the cover of today’s Thisday which not only give us the list but in its usual way follows up with pictures of the possible candidates.

I had advised the President in earlier write ups to look beyond the very shallo pool of his close associates and APC blinded contractors in building a credible team that would assist in executing whatever are his plans for us as a country. From the pictures I saw on that list, it is very clear that the President has once again ignored my very wise counsel.
Although I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt because of the very slim possibility that the list is not official and as such, I should hold on to my sword does not mean that I will still not throw some light barbs his way.

The pictures of Amaechi, Ezekwezili, Fayemi and Kwankwaso throws in a lack of creativity on the part of those who have drawn up this list. It also throws up a certain laziness in thoroughly going through the larger pool of obviously over qualified Nigerians in choosing a worthy cabinet. What this list tells me is that political exigency including the need to calm frayed nerves in the wake of the uproar on the heels of previous appointments have taken precedence over the need to get a squeaky clean cabinet, thereby seemingly jeopardizing th anti corruption battle.

Ezekwezili to me comes across with a major baggage. Her appointment would most certainly lead to the abandonment of her pet campaign, to save the Chibok girls, and except she is given a portfolio that will continually energise that struggle, she will come across as a self serving clay footed Amazon who only jumped on the bandwagon to regain relevance.
Or how would she be gallivanting within the corridors of power when the girls are still in captivity. She it was who gave herself this role, nobody begged her, so she must refuse all appointments until the girls have been released.

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A further look at the list shows a massive recycling. People who have just finished playing various roles in the last dispensation are on the list. I’m sure it is to reward them for their efforts during the elections, but at whose mercy. The mercy of the populace. Some of these people would only use the platform of a federal appointment to fight their state governments, stall criminal investigations into their past activities in government, and basically distract us from the vision of achieving a corrupt free society.

I am still stating very clearly that we have millions of Nigerians far and above these tired names that Buhari can work with. These names are tired, they come with baggage and unending controversies. Buhari should show the independence he has shown when he was appointing the earlier lopsided pro North appointments in doing these ones.
The excuse of balancing the appointments should not mean that he would choose our second eleven just because they are southerners.

Let’s look beyond this obviously contaminated pool and seek for more credible candidates.

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