Will Tinubu Appoint ‘Failed’, Corrupt Politicians as Ministers?
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no doubt started on a brighter note. Some administrative policies he has approved such as removing the fuel subsidy earned him plaudits from both his supporters and critics.
Unlike his immediate predecessor who took about six months before forming his cabinet in 2015, Tinubu has assembled some key members of his government. The notable ones are the Chief of Staff, CoS, to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Sen. George Akume; and the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, among others.
But Nigerians are eagerly awaiting the list of Mr. President’s ministerial nominees. Will it be populated by technocrats or politicians? Some prominent former Governors are also angling to become members of the next Federal Executive Council, FEC.
Though he is not a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, the immediate-past Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is among those tipped to be in the next FEC. Wike had in the 2023 presidential election delivered his state for Tinubu, after falling out with his party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. The main opposition had polled 88,468, while the APC got 231,591 votes in the election.
Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is another ex-Governor likely to become a Minister, less than two months after leaving the Kano State Government House. Never mind the fact that he is now battling to clear his name of corruption, following the renewed investigation of a 2018 video capturing him stuffing his Babanriga (flowing robe) with wads of dollars.
The likes of Sen. Atiku Bagudu, Alh. Mohammadu Badaru Abubakar, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and Hon. Bello Matawalle have not been forgotten. The immediate-past Governors of Kebbi, Jigawa, Kaduna and Zamfara States contributed to the electoral triumph of President Tinubu in the 2023 polls. They will surely fancy being compensated with a ministerial job.
However, many civil society organizations, CSOs, and human rights activists, have called on President Tinubu not to include corrupt politicians in his cabinet. Many of them have been holding press conferences, writing articles, urging the president not to compensate corrupt politicians, including ex-governors with ministerial appointments.
The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Awwalu Musa Rafsanjani said, “For Tinubu to succeed, he must not populate his government with outgoing officials who did nothing to improve Nigeria’s public image. He must avoid corrupt people; those who demonstrated cluelessness while in office. He should bring on board men who can do the job and must avoid past governors who were famous for bad governance in their states.”
On his part, National Coordinator, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated, “Tinubu should not appoint politicians who have cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or those associated with fraudulent businesses or any sort of criminal enterprise. The criminal records of all nominees must be vetted by the appropriate security authorities like the police, Department of State Services, the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.”
Will Mr. President heed the clarion calls of Rafsanjani and Onwubiko, among other voices of good conscience, and settle for only incorruptible politicians, if not technocrats as his incoming Ministers? Let’s all wait and see!
