Ministerial List: How Buhari shortlisted his nominees

The 21 would-be ministers submitted to the Senate for screening by the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari on Friday were unaware of their nominations.

Buhari

It was gathered that the President did not hint them of their possible inclusion even though some of them paid several visits to the Presidential villa.

According to The Nation’s Newspaper’s report, Buhari directed security agencies to conduct discreet investigations into their records after shortlisting their names. Those closer to him were not spared in the thorough investigation.

It was gathered that a former Head of state who suggested a name to the President was politely turned down due to the age of the suggested nominee.

Information gathered revealed that there was anxiety in some quarters yesterday as there was no nominees from Ondo, Abia, Enugu, Imo and Kogi State.

It was only yesterday that the President asked all those he shortlisted for screening to submit their curriculum vitae.

Due to the short notice, some nominees sent their emissaries to Abuja to submit their CVs while others submitted theirs through electronic mails.

According to a source “Most of the nominees    announced on Wednesday were caught unawares because Buhari never sat any of them down or told them that they would be among his ministers.

“Even though some of them had been coming to the Presidential Villa, he did not confide in them.

“I can tell you that the President did not give assurance to ex-Governors Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi, and Babatunde Fashola. Even as close as Lt.-Gen. Dambazzau and Sen. Hadi Sirika are to the President, they did not know that they would be in the cabinet. The President adopted suspense all through. That is his style.

“The President only directed security agencies to conduct discreet security checks on them for about one or two months.

“The security checks were jealously guarded to prevent leakage. This was the nature of the appointment.

“The President adopted intelligence approach in picking his team. A few others who were nominated by some highly-placed Nigerians, political leaders and governors could not scale through the discreet checks.”

Another source said: “You can see the transparency of the process adopted by the President. It was on Thursday morning that the Presidency started sending messages to most of the nominees to send their CVs.

“Some of them sent their CVs through e-mail and others sent emissaries to Abuja to submit their credentials ahead of compilation for the Senate’s consideration from next week.

“The President was sure of the pedigree of his cabinet members before asking them to bring their CVs.”

 

 

According to a report by the Nation, Buhari used five factors to shortlist the would-be ministers.

The factors are strict adherence to principle of non-interference in choosing his cabinet, integrity or pedigree, old acquaintances, selfless service and less exposure to political influence.

Quoting a  highly placed source, the Nation wrote: “Buhari was his own man in choosing his cabinet, although he took certain factors into consideration. Those who came to advise him assisted in providing direction or guiding his mind. At a point, the APC leadership could not give exact situation of things.

“He has done away with appointments based on favouritism, godafthers and egoism.

“Apart from merit, Buhari gave ministerial slots to those who have the ability, those who can deliver and those he has trusted over the years, including those who worked with him in the former Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and those in the trenches with him in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He has rewarded selflessness, perseverance and loyalty.”

There was anxiety yesterday in 14 states whose ministerial nominees have not been announced.

‘’There had been enquiries from the states. Political leaders from the states are mounting pressure on top officials of the Presidency to know their stand,’’ a source said.

 

Ministerial List: How Buhari shortlisted his nominees

Boko Haram: Political leaders activities against security forces monitored - Presidency tells northern politicians

Meanwhile, the presidency during the week informed political leaders from the terror wracked North Eastern states that their activities against the security forces’ efforts at combating terrorism were being closely monitored.

At a meeting with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) early this week, certain political officeholders including National Assembly members from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe were reportedly told in plain terms that government would not allow politicians to destroy the nation and its armed forces.

A source at the meeting informed Saturday Tribune that the northern leaders who were actually at the NSA’s office to protest the extension of emergency rule in those states “ got more than they bargained for as they were tongue-lashed and made to realise that every act of  sabotage against the security forces’ anti-terrorism effort including phone calls was not escaping the attention of  government.”

The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the state of emergency extension law in the three states for another six months.  The unanimous decision came after a week of protests and rejection of same  by legislators and  political elite in the affected states.

“You would observe that there was no objection to the extension when the Senate finally voted on the issue. That was a fallout of the meeting with the NSA who minced no words in telling these leaders that government would not mind withdrawing troops from the axis if the extension law would not be passed.

“When these protesting leaders and legislators from the north east zone confronted the National Security Adviser on the need for the suspension of the state of emergency, he told them point-blank that the decision was in their hands if they could persuade their people at home to agree with the proposal, but added that this would include withdrawal of all the troops from the affected states

“Dasuki told them to go and tell their traditional rulers, religious and youth leaders, including other citizens of the three states on their decision against emergency rule which should be widely publicised so that the troops can also be withdrawn since we are in a democracy where people endorse all propositions,” the source, who is close to one of the senators from the zone, told Saturday Tribune.

A security source, who was also privy to the meeting,  told Saturday Tribune  that  “the NSA further warned that “the Nigerian military would not continue to tolerate dirty-politics with the security situation in the country. He particularly cited some politicians who engage in verbal attacks on troops through reckless and unfounded allegations and who sponsored inciting stories in the media and yet want military protection.

“He also told them that security agencies are closely monitoring activities of politicians and suspected local sympathisers of Boko Haram who are in the habit of misleading the troops for ulterior motives.

“Dasuki,  a  prince of Sokoto caliphate, the cradle of Islam in Nigeria, was so infuriated that he asked them whether they were more Northerner or believer than the rest of northern officers in the security agencies working day and night to quench the fire of Boko Haram which their political leaders created. He said rather than for them to be grateful for the concern of all Nigerians from the North and South towards addressing the security situations in their zone, some of these leaders and local people continued to provide misleading, diversionary information which had resulted in occasional ambushes where patriotic, gallant soldiers were killed,” the source added.

The source stated that it was at that meeting that it dawned on these politicians that they must not do anything to stop the extension of emergency rule in those states, hence the unanimous Senate decision of Tuesday.

Meanwhile, as part of immediate efforts at insulating soldiers from civilian influence on the anti-terrorism operations, it has also been learnt that soldiers had been withdrawn from non-essential services, including serving as military escorts to political office holders.

“It was discovered that some top politicians in the affected states who are in the habit of castigating the military had also at the same time been in the habit of requesting for military escorts rather than for operatives from other security services whenever they are traveling to their constituencies in the north east. This has been stopped because it is not part of the duties of soldiers to be escorts to politicians in a democracy,” a source in the military told Saturday Tribune on Friday.

 

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Boko Haram: Political leaders activities against security forces monitored - Presidency tells northern politicians