Front Pix
In Defence Of Buhari …Of Uproar Over Appointments
Babachir Lawal and Abba Kyari
Last week Friday, some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) joined the grumbling voices of the South-East and South-South in protesting what belatedly dawned on them as a government, first for the North and then others later. For fear of any likely reprimand all of those who spoke to the media did so on conditions of anonymity.
What was the uproar about? That President Muhammadu Buhari made another set of appointments which they considered lopsided in favour of the North, especially a favoured few who in every election since 2003, had alone voted for him. If other zones had joined earlier, Buhari would have been president long ago.
In that spirit, Buhari last Thursday appointed, from Adamawa State, Babachir David Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation; from Borno State, Mr Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff and Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali as New Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service, all from the Northern part of the country.
The others are Mr Kure Martins Abeshi Nasarawa State, Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service and Suleiman Kawu, Kano State, as Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly (NASS) Matters (House of Representatives) also of the Northern parts. The President then ‘balanced’ the ‘five to one’ sharing formula by appointing Senator Ita Enang as SSA, NASS Matters (Senate).
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina who announced the appointments last Thursday, said they would all take immediate effect, ‘in line with Military fashion’ (Emphasis mine).
These would not be the first set of appointments the President would be making. In the initial appointment, eight were also from the North and only one Southerner to balance the initial ‘eight-to-one’ equation.
Northerners earlier appointed into key positions include: Director-General of the State Services, Lawal Daura, Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs Anuria Zakari, the Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Mordecai Danteni Baba Ladan and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris.
Others were, the President’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), Abdulrahman Mani; Chief of Protocol, Mallam Abdullahi Kazure; Aide-De-Camp, Lt Col Muhammed Abubaka; and the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu. In that case also, only Femi Adesina is of the Southern part of the country.
Quoting three APC leaders last Thursday, the Punch wrote: “Three top National Officers of the APC, who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity shortly after the announcements were made, wondered why the President was appointing only Northerners to positions to the detriment of the Southerners”.
“Another APC leader said the party must devise a way of managing the backlash that would follow the appointments.
“He said, ‘Though the President did not get much votes from the South-East, we must not neglect the zone in key appointments”.
That’s the crux of the matter. President Buhari, in course of his US trip, did not mince words when he said attention to zones and states would be based purely on votes he enjoyed in the February 28, 2015 elections. He indeed wondered aloud, how, people who voted for him overwhelmingly would be treated equally with those who didn’t.
In a nutshell, Buhari made it very clear that primary attention would be beamed on the North, where, he got bulk of his votes, before all others in order of performance.
That meant, the South-South and the South-East Zones that voted enmasse for the President’s opponent, then incumbent Goodluck Ebele Jonathan might as well wait till the end of Buhari’s tenure for honorable postings or even development projects. When the lonely voices of these two zones lamented their fate, others within the same APC went ‘hey-wire’ in defence of the President.
Now, they are lamenting. Infact, the Punch quoted another APC leader as grumbling, “Even the South-West that supported and was the backbone of the party, what are we giving the zone in appreciation? We need to be careful before the party is destroyed.
A member of the State Executive of the APC in a South-West State”, according to the paper, said the appointments were lopsided against the South. He said: “When President Olugsegun Obasanjo took over, you saw balance in appointments as he reflected Federal Character, President Goodluck Jonathan too reflected a semblance of balance. Buhari is pursuing a northern agenda. This is the same agenda pursued by the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, when everything was pro-north…”
Haba! These are very strong words to be voiced by a state executive of the APC in the South-West. They should give Mr President some credit and allow him present the exact opposite of President Jonathan.
Critics, particularly those of the former President’s Zone, said he operated a policy of Charity beginning abroad.
It was in pursuit of that agenda, that nearly all development projects under his watch were sited in the North: Almajiri schools, New Universities, Federal roads and nearly all juicy appointments and contracts to the neglect of his people.
Now, Buhari says he cannot neglect his people. That rather than abroad, Charity ought to begin at home. And so, key appointments must first be made from the home before venturing abroad. How is this policy difficult to understand?
During the first of nine appointments, Buhari gave the South one, and the North eight. And now out of six he still considered the South worthy of a slot and five for the good old North. Why should anyone complain?
On sidelines of the Annual All Nigerian Editors’ Conference, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Friday, some politicians, and journalists expressed concern over the way things were going, according to them, either by accident or design, all three arms of government, the Executive, the legislative and Judiciary are firmly in the hands of Northerners. In the political front, the Senate President is from the North, just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
This means, President Buhari, Bukola Saraki and Rt Hon. Magari, all Northerners, can, if they so wish, still ensure the passage of the President’s Ministerial list, when ready, whether the appointments follow same lopsided fashion or not.
Truth is, Buhari is only human. If a man contests the Presidential elections three previous times, and unlike other politicians without integrity, did not cross-carpet to stay-alive and yet enjoyed the loyalty and friendship of a few, don’t such followers deserve the President’s trust? What is wrong in appointing such trusted followers into positions of trust, after his success in the fourth attempt? How many truly know what it takes a politician to stay out of the power source for 12 consecutive years, after three consecutive elections?.
From 2003, when he first contested the Presidential elections, to 2011, his third attempt, the bulk of his votes had come from the North. Infact, no President ever defeated Buhari in the North-East and North West Zones of the country. The problem he had was winning at least a few states in the South, to make him President.
That came true in 2015, after three failed attempts, and this time with the support of the South-West and North-Central while majority of those in the South-South and South-East voted for former President Jonathan.
Reading the President’s body language and public comments, he owes no one any apology for rewarding loyalty, true faith and dedication to a cause which many of his appointees demonstrated in his twelve years of political struggle.
At a time, when several would cross-carpet to the PDP, leave and return, after every victory, Buhari’s faithful remained loyal.
The appointments are indeed reward for true loyalty and integrity, which many Nigerian politicians lack.
My Agony is that either by accident or design, not only have 13 or 15 early appointments gone the way of the North, the two chambers of the National Assembly and indeed the three arms of Government: the Executive, the legislative and indeed the Judiciary are also led by Northerners.
So what number of ministers in re-compense can strike the needed balance?
Front Pix
DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.