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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his cronies have apparently become beautiful brides for several Nigerians lobbying for one political appointment, favour or the other. The president’s residence has turned into a Mecca of some sort since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him winner of the February 25 presidential election this year.
Interestingly, some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), chieftains and unsuccessful candidates of other political parties, and those that invested everything at their disposal to campaign for President Tinubu, are all equally involved in deploying both conventional and unorthodox means to market their intentions.
Many concerned Nigerians have also stopped at nothing in using media advertorials/visibility, networking all perceived persons with links to the presidency, visitations, attending social functions and spearheading favourable protests to attract the attention of either Mr President or the presidency.
From his Abuja country home to the Defence House where he had a short spell and at the Aso Rock Villa, where he statutorily resides now, the lobbyists for political appointments have desperately turned them into a Mecca of sort in such an unrelenting manner to ensure that their efforts pay-off.
Such jostle for the appointments is understandable, especially as President Tinubu is already racing against time to meet up with the new amendment to the 1999 Constitution, which stipulated that the President and Governors must submit names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within 60 days of taking the Oath of Office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly.
The President is constitutionally expected to announce a total list of 42 Ministers drawn to represent each of the 36 states, with extra six representatives each from the six geopolitical zones.
And for purposes of political expediency, state governors are expected to make inputs into the choice of who represents their states as political appointees at the federal level, though in most cases only applicable to state governors with the ruling party at the centre.
The lobbying which has really taken the front burner since the inauguration of President Tinubu has watered down the general apprehension and fixation of many Nigerians that he will not assume office due to the impending outcome of the litigations instituted at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal by the presidential candidates of the other political parties.
Expectedly, those that have become the rallying point for the lobbyists include understandably wife of the President and First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, SA Strategy and Communication, Dele Alake, the invisible influencer and President Tinubu’s political ally, Bisi Akande, various state governors, and influential leaders, members of the President’s immediate family, the traditional rulers, owners of blue-chip companies, and other members of his kitchen cabinet.
The pressure from the lobbyists has been mounting from stakeholders in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to fill the vacant statutory ministerial slots, positions of special assistants, and various boards of the federal government’s ministries, parastatals and agencies.
Involved in the frantic horse race to occupy the vacant positions include former governors, members of the APC NWC, and the aggrieved integrity G-5 governors, whose several visits and meetings with President Tinubu have been interpreted and misinterpreted as seeking appointment and or protection from facing corruption allegations trial.
Of course, the G-5 governors, through their actions, utterances, disposition, and constant visits to the Aso Rock Villa have made it so obvious their intentions for consideration for ministerial and other positions under the current administration.
Remarkably, the lobbying has become so intense recently that many of them even deliberately embarked on a journey to the same countries President Tinubu and his team are visiting for one programme or the other for purposes of visibility and an indication of readiness to serve.
While many of the lobbyists were products of campaign promises secured directly from President Tinubu himself or indirectly from his campaign officials, others are long-time political allies with an entitlement mentality of having worked for him.
Curiously, while many have secured water-tight assurances from the presidency cabal, lamentably the fate of several others are still painfully hanging in the balance, having failed to see any green light for their desires.
Expectedly, thousands of the desperate lobbyists have already fallen victim to the antics of several political jobbers hanging around the President that.
However, investigations have revealed that while many of the lobbyists are already celebrating and popping up champagne, others, especially those that sacrificed everything for Tinubu’s emergence are already gnashing their teeth in endless complaints of disappointment and failed promises.
President Tinubu equally heightened the anxiety in many Nigerians when he emphatically warned that his appointments would be based strictly on national unity and competence instead of the usual political patronage and other mundane considerations.
As Nigerians waited in bated breath for the unveiling of who finally made the ministerial list of the much-awaited members of the federal cabinet, equally of serious concern to many Nigerians is the desperation of members of the APC NWC.
Confirming their involvement in the lobbying, an NWC member told Daily Sun in confidence that; “I can confirm to you that no fewer than four of our NWC members are badly jostling for ministerial positions. In fact, some of them even made it very clear that joining the party’s leadership is just a springboard and platform to gravitate to such next level. Considering them for the ministerial positions may not be automatic but there is no harm in trial.”
The anxiety pervading the country over who makes the list could, understandably be traced to the surprise appointments he has made already, especially the emergence of George Akume as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) against the expectation of many Nigerians that touted the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai for the position.
Again, the appointment of Nuhu Ribadu, a retired police officer, as the National Security Adviser (NSA) may have actually been foretold, but his appointment also came with a surprise perhaps because the NSA has become a position traditionally reserved for retired Military Generals for some years now.
However, many political watchers have attributed the delay in releasing the much-awaited ministerial list almost one month after his swearing-in, despite promising to do so in two weeks, to the clash of interests among political leaders across many states.
Apparently, there are several interests at play in several states of the federation over who becomes the minister to represent the state in the Tinubu-led federal cabinet.
Across all the states in the six geopolitical zones, there has been a disturbing interplay of forces and a clash of interests over the ministerial lists to the point of the gladiators declaring total war against one another.
From Enugu, where there has been a straight battle between the leaders and chieftains of APC in the state and Tinubu’s political ally, former governor, Chimaroke Nnamani over who deserves to make the list, to Kano State where the immediate past governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his staunch APC loyalists and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, it has been a case of who will outdo the other in securing the attention and endorsements of President Tinubu.
The situation may even be worse in Benue, Rivers, Abia, and Oyo states between the party leaders and members of the G-5 governors that have been more accessible to President Tinubu through the influence of former Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike.
The unanswered question is will Tinubu comfortably settle for the immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom ahead of the choice of the party leaders like the SGF, Akume, and the incumbent governor, Hyacinth Alia?
In Rivers, where the party has been factionalised to the point of some APC members appealing to Wike to join the party, will President Tinubu boldly disappoint him after delivering the state to him and settle for a nominee from APC state leaders like Chibuike Amaechi, which many consider is a political spent force?
The scenario is not different in Oyo and Abia states where there will be confusion over who will nominate the minister between the incumbent governor, Ayo Makinde with unrestrained access to President Tinubu than many APC leaders in the state, ditto Abia where the ex-governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, may use his G-5 governors connection to access the president more than the factionalised state chapter of the party.
But the conundrum over the ministerial list is certainly not the only thing President Tinubu is currently contending with as Nigerian women are also squaring up after presenting their charter of demands to him to actualise the much-touted 35 per cent affirmative action he promised them during the campaigns across the country.
Haunted by the biased unequal representation at elective positions especially in the 10th National Assembly, several women activists in the country are already angling for a showdown with President Tinubu should he fail to do the needful in achieving affirmative action.
In what could be a subtle emotional blackmail, Nigerian women have also argued that the responsibility of nominating ministerial appointees does not lie only with President Tinubu, but also with the governors of the APC-controlled states.
Making a case for Nigerian women, renowned gender activist, Toun Okewale-Sonaiya, recently argued that while Nigerian men were great nation builders who required the support and input of women, it is only when men and women lead together that Nigeria can progress.
“I appeal to all APC state governors to nominate at least one woman among the three names they send to the administration for ministerial appointments. Competent and capable women politicians and female technocrats hail from all Nigerian states.
“Every man and woman should play a part in rebuilding the socio-economic fabric of our beloved country. Nigerian women’s groups are maintaining a strong alliance in advocating an increase in female representation in governance at all levels,” she demanded.
However, dousing the tension, a source at the presidency, who confirmed, in a chat with Daily Sun on condition of anonymity, that the confusion has contributed to the delay in constituting and releasing the list, argued that President Tinubu’s independent mind in making his appointments will be the antidote. He also insisted that he will not sacrifice competence for political favour.
“Now, let me put it on record that what is playing out now is not entirely different from what we saw in the past administrations. We saw worse case scenarios during Olusegun Obasanjo, Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and the immediate past Muhammadu Buhari. It is the same Nigerians and politicians doing everything unprintable to get the appointments.
“It will be wrong of anybody to think the conflicting interest is not capable of overwhelming or even confusing President Tinubu. As an apostle of rewarding party loyalty which affected the party under former president Buhari, he cannot afford to disappoint party members yet he has made serious commitments to non-APC members that are hanging on his neck like the sword of Damocles. He is actually facing a real delicate situation over the appointments.
“However, judging by the appointments he has made so far, it is no longer in doubt if he possesses the capacity and competence to weather the storm and manage the contending forces in picking the right and competent persons to serve in his cabinet.
“Let me also note that the good side of all these endless conflicts is that the appointments are not only limited to ministerial positions, there are also board chairmen, members, and even ambassadorial positions. So, anyone who could not make the ministerial list still have ample opportunity of making other lists,” our source argued.
All eyes are on President Tinubu to beat the mountainous odds and contending forces, compile the list of competent Nigerians as soon as possible and send to the upper chamber of the National Assembly to calm the tension and anxieties over the ministerial and other lists of appointees.
