Not surprisingly, the reactions to the submission of the list of ministers to the Senate President have come in thick and fast – that is to be expected. For a contrived atmosphere of heightened anxiety had been induced as the nation waited for the presumably all mighty list of ministers to pilot the affairs of the state.
The notion of “contrived atmosphere of heightened anxiety” is used here advisedly. For Nigeria’s consumption driven and for that reason faction ridden political economy has over the decades, developed a bizarre notion of what ministerial office means. To the elite, the notion of ministerial appointments means a competition for the spoils of war. Again the notion of “spoils” is used advisedly. For after ‘do or die’ elections (and most of them have been decidedly that) the war booty has to be shared.
Sharing the war booty invariably becomes problematic. What is the sharing formula, who gets what, when and where? This war booty, consumption driven focus has been reinforced by the military who wrote a bizarre clause in the constitution mandating each state to be given one minister. Stranger than fiction but true. Actually here we got off lightly. The military could very well have mandated a minister from every local government! Then we would have really toasted. Arising from this came inevitably, the disgusting notion of ‘juicy ministries’. In Nigeria, it doesn’t just rain, it pours. The bizarre notion of war booty is further reinforced by the fight over juicy posts, a notion we only ever hear about in a country like Nigeria.
For this reason, when we actually get the list on Tuesday, it is unlikely to have the portfolio attached to the nominees. This is unfortunate, but politically prudent. For attaching the portfolio will lead to another round of rancor over which zone gets the juicy posts. It is better avoided, otherwise the whole screening process will get bogged down in a gutsy fight and the atmosphere will become decidedly unpleasant. It is however a loss to the country. For what this means, is that the mould breaking example set by the Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai will not be followed.
Pity really! For El-Rufai had attached portfolios to his list of nominees. Which is actually an eminently sensible thing to have done. If portfolios are not attached, then what exactly are we screening them for? The screening process can certainly not be about the sex-life or orientation of the nominee. It should be about the technical competence, the intellectual preparation, as well as the managerial capacity to handle a particular ministry. In the United States for example, if there is ever a cabinet reshuffle a fresh screening will be done as to the suitability of the minister being reshuffled for the new ministerial portfolio he is been assigned to. This will not now be done. Unfortunate really, for in the past we have had some really laughable ministers confirmed who didn’t know their left from their right. A ministerial job is actually not suited for ‘learning on the job.’
Going on from here, there is another sad loss. The President had actually promised, very sensibly, to promulgate the national council on procurement before appointing ministers. This was a key reason why this commentator voted for him. If he had done so, (and he should still do so) this would have meant putting the horse ahead of the cart. For the new hegemony established by President Buhari is that corruption writ large has destroyed this country. Therefore, a key way of fighting back is to separate procurement (what we call contracts) from policy making and implementation. Unless and until this is done, we will continue to thrash about in a sea of despair. Which is why the President must fulfill his promise here. The obsession with ‘contracts’ as opposed to policy implementation must be broken under President Buhari.
Break it we must and President Buhari, Heaven sent, has the resolve as well as the political will to do so. Looking at the nominees being speculated itself, goes to the heart of the national project. What we have in the public sphere is as of now, until Tuesday is mere speculation. This means that there is already a fault-line. It beats the imagination hollow, that a list of ministerial nominees should be made a national secret. Nigerians were also startled to learn that the Nigerian Senate does not sit on Fridays and Mondays. This is really sick. The world’s best remunerated legislators only work a three day week and enjoy long recesses at the drop of a hat. This is stranger than fiction.
The list itself as speculated does not at a first glance portray any rupture, a decisive and irreversible break from the past. In a way a lot of people who anticipated a much desired rupture, are clearly disappointed. To plead in mitigation though, to recall from the words of the great, irrepressible British Rock Band, The Rolling Stones “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try hard, sometimes, you might just get what you need.” To further plead in mitigation, as a way of assuaging the fears, we might care to recall the counsel of a young lawyer turned journalist – Karl Marx. In his observation, Marx noted that, “Men make their own history, but they do not do so in their own way; they do so under situations and circumstances which they have not chosen and certainly would not have desired; the traditions , the Mores of the dead generations, weighs like a nightmare on the souls of the living.” Sadly, Buhari has to make history in a way not of his own choosing. He has to use what he has.
The list itself is a mixture of the good, the great and the puzzling. If true, Fayemi, Fashola, Onu, Udo Udoma, Ngige certainly have the public perception that they have the managerial capacity, the intellectual preparation and the proven track-record to perform. Their inclusion is certainly welcome. A ray of hope in a difficult economic climate.
What is disturbing though is the lack of gender balancing. This is disturbing. We should not because of the ineptitude of Okonjo-Iweala, Allison-Maduekwe, Stella Oduah throw the baby out with the bathwater. The few names of women included in the list are solid. Aisha Alhassan, so promising as a gubernatorial candidate in Taraba (everyone wanted her to win), Amina Mohammed, a Special Adviser at the United Nations and Kemi Adeosun, former finance commissioner in ogun state. In the next batch let us demand at least fifty percent female ministerial representation.
Finally, my companero, Mojeed Jamiu, former Deputy Chief of Staff, Ekiti State has allayed my fears about the President also holding a key ministerial post. I go along (reluctantly) with him and hope it works out. It is overall a promising template. It is our hope and prayer that the darker, anti-patriotic forces in the National Assembly do not stall the process and turn it into a political football. Whatever fun and games they are playing should not distract from the need to get the country back to work. This will be out of sync with the mood of this country and lead to the mother of all marches on the National Assembly. A word it is to be hoped should be good enough for the wise.
END
well said kanmi, I hope and pray that PMB will not disappoint a lot of Nigerians in choosing the best hands to help him actualize his dream for Nigeria. However, I am very optimistic for better Nigeria especially as speculated the coming on board of people like femi falana, pat utomi, soludo and rest technocrats. ”didun lo so yoo so” that is, better days are here.