From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Diaspora members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to consider Nigerians with necessary skills to drive effective governance, policy implementation, and national development for ministerial positions.
Chairman, APC United States chapter, Tai Balofin, made the appeal on behalf of other APC diaspora members in United Kingdom, Spain, Canada and South Korea.
The diaspora APC members emphasised that it is also essential to consider wide range of factors like political alignment, expertise, experience, and regional balance in selecting the ministers.
They specifically drummed support for the inclusion of personalities like Bayo Onanuga, Hassan M Liman (SAN), Tai Balofin, Babatunde Ogala, Augustine Avuru, Aisha Ahmad, and Adam Oshiomole for ministerial positions.
The statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, read: “As the anticipation for the appointment of ministers continues to build, it is important to analyse the potential candidates and the factors that could influence their selection. Ministerial appointments are not solely based on loyalty but encompass a range of considerations such as political factors, expertise, experience, and regional balance.
“While loyalty to key figures like President Tinubu is commendable, it is crucial to evaluate the qualifications and suitability of potential ministers for their respective portfolios,” they noted.
Defending their choice candidates, the APC Diaspora members wrote; “While loyalty to President Tinubu is commendable, it is essential to consider a wide range of factors when selecting ministers.
“Political considerations, expertise, experience, and regional balance all play crucial roles in these appointments by evaluating the qualifications and suitability of potential candidates, and there is a need to ensure that the selected ministers possess the necessary skills to drive effective governance, policy implementation, and national development.
“In addition to the above-highlighted factors, the APC Diaspora and Nigeran Progressive Professionals in the Diaspora are therefore drumming support for the above personality as well as any other persons that possess the qualities above as promised by President Tinubu to include the diaspora in his cabinet.
“The expectation from President Tinubu is the appointment of Ministers from 36, States, six geopolitical zones, and one from the diaspora,” the statement read.