The gale of sacks and appointments coming at the twilights of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration are confounding Nigerians and political analysts, as they wonder if these are not fallouts of his disappointment, following the presidential election of March 28.
Indeed, the thinking is that those sacked may either have failed him or the nation; but the most probable interpretation is that they failed him personally. So he resolves to thrash them with the disciplinary rod under his prerogative. He sacks them outright and replaces them instantly. The manner of the sacks is striking as they come in a torrent. While Nigerians are yet debating the last episode, a fresh one is unleashed, thus rendering it a spree, which somehow defies all rational explanations. Only the President can justify the sweeping sacks, which are coming at the twilight of his administration. There is just about four days for him to go now, but Nigerians may not have witnessed the last removal and appointment.
Just two guesses are rife for Jonathan’s dramatic action. The first is connected to his loss to General Mohammadu Buhari at the presidential poll. The second guess, which is like it, is about the non-indulgent personality of Buhari who will mount the saddle as Jonathan’s successor on May 29 and may start asking questions. Although Jonathan demonstrated a high level of sportsmanship by accepting defeat early, he was nonetheless shocked by the defeat. Casting a retrospective look at the events that occurred around the election period, he possibly realises that some appointees were not as dedicated as they should. Thus, it is payback time.
First to experience Jonathan’s exasperation was the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba, who on April 21, was sacked for indiscipline within the rank and file of the police. However, pundits reasoned that Jonathan possibly felt disappointed that Abba did not use his office as the IGP to work for him during the election. He replaced him immediately with Solomon Arase, who barely 21 days after his appointment in acting capacity, was confirmed as the IGP. He thus became the first IGP in Nigeria whose appointment was confirmed so rapidly. The speedy confirmation of Arase’s appointment is being questioned in certain quarters. The prevalent theory is that Jonathan perhaps did that to forestall Arase’s removal by Buhari or the possibility of bringing back Abba as IGP. Meanwhile, the taste of Abba’s removal was yet to clear from the mouth when another dose of termination landed on April 23. Jonathan fired the Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Gbenga Elegbeleye. No reasons were given for the sack.
Four days after, it was the turn of the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Dr Femi Thomas, to go. His removal came in military language; he was relieved of his appointment with ‘immediate effect’, and Olufemi Akingbade appointed in his stead. On the same day, April 27, the President confirmed Mounir Gwarzo as the Director-General of the Securities Exchange Commission, SEC, and appointed Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, as Chairman of the Commission, replacing Sulleyman Ndanusa. It was really a busy Monday for the President who had to deal with four divergent cases of termination, confirmation and appointment at a stretch.
The following Wednesday was a less sack-busy day. The President sacked only the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mallam Habib Abdullahi and quickly named Alhaji Sanusi Bayero as his successor. He did not have to give reasons for Abdullahi’s sack. Then on May 5, he removed Mrs Sharon Adefunke Kasali as the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF, and replaced her with Mrs Asabe Asman Ahmed, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development. Again, on May 18, just last week, the President sacked the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council, NIPC, Sataru Umar, and named Uju Hassan Baba as a replacement.
Few days away from the Presidential election of March 28, Jonathan had removed the Chairman of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd) and appointed Mr Ishaya Dare Akau as his successor. The plausible conjecture for Agwai’s removal was the tacit support he gave to the change slogan of the opposition party, All Progressives Congress, APC, at a lecture he delivered on former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 78th birthday. Agwai’s statement seemingly betrayed him as one of the ‘enemies within,’ who did not want Jonathan reelected as President. Earlier, Jonathan had sacked his social media coordinator, Reno Omokri, over a twitter survey which revealed that he had a slim chance of winning the presidential election.
But, how justifiable are these sacks and how sustainable are the new appointments? Some analysts surmise that the removals are expedited to clean up some mess in the concerned establishments while the appointments are a way of compensating certain people. Whatever it is, events after May 29 will likely provide the right answers.
However, apologists of the President insist that Jonathan remains Nigeria leader until May 28 and must be seen to be running his administration, the power to hire and fire being part of it. But critics say; the sacks and appointments appear to be rashly motivated and in bad fate. They argue that the appointments are an obvious slight on the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari; who on assuming office, May 29, will equally be entrusted with the power to hire and fire at any level of the Federal Government. In that case, should Buhari reverse the 11th hour appointments made by Jonathan, will he not be justified?
Be the first to comment