Muhammadu Buhari is now President elect. He pressed on for 12 years despite doubts and concerns across the country about his military past, to finally secure what could be described as one of the most difficult and most parodied jobs anywhere in the world, The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
His campaign was focused on one of the most discussed issues in Nigeria’s polity, corruption. “My fear is that if we don’t kill corruption in Nigeria, corruption will kill us. So, the choice before us is to resolve to kill corruption and free our country from the firm grip of corrupt men and women,” he told the world, while outlining his approach to dealing with what many in Nigeria regard as the biggest illness to have afflicted the country.
Many say his inspiration was drawn from his previous life as a military head of state. But this time he would have to do this with a team ready to play hardball.
Incidentally, he never mentioned the type of people he would need to get the job done in the course of his campaign. But the key signs to underscore his resolve on corruption, as well as, his overall agenda and priorities would be reflected on how transparent his transition process-a process that will let the public into the types of officials that will be selected to serve in his administration and lead the country for the next four years-will be.
Political watchers BusinessDay spoke to, pointed to a team of loyalists, ranging from the very competent to the anonymous that could drive change. They gave insight into close associates that President elect might look at to press the country forward with critical reforms.
With a few exceptions-Governor Raji Fashola, whom many in the country already regard as an example of ‘governance’-to broad acclaim; Governor Rotimi Amechi, who left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to join the All Progressives Congress (APC)and become not only part of the president elect’s inner circle, but also a key figure in the protest that brought the APC to power in most part of the country; and Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who lead the country’s labour union and became one of the first set of governors to unseat the then high riding PDP in Edo State. Another candidate mentioned is Abike Dabiri, who will be leaving the Federal House-voluntarily too. She is widely seen as very capable in any role. Obi Ezekwesili, a former minister in the Federal republic, also gets high enough mark for her reputation as a transparent leader of men.
The not so big surprise is Pat Utomi, whom many attribute the new APC constitution to-very vocal on good governance and against incompetence. Critics see him both as a flag and a driver. His vast private sector experience could rub positively on the transition process, according to BusinessDay source. Another name that frequently came up is Dele Alake, director of communication and strategy for APC. His cerebral work ethics drew high praises in the course of the election campaigns. Ghali Na’abba and Gbemi Saraki, as well as, Wale Edu were all described as fresh blood with huge hunger for performance and results.
All of these men, BusinessDay sources say, are all inclined to centralised disciple as much as Buhari is.
Edu was specifically listed as probable in the economic team they say would include Tanimu Yakubu, who served as Economic adviser to late President Musa Yar’Adua, Ezekwesili and Utomi, were also vastly viewed as the possible all-purpose sounding board for the incoming president with advice on business and economics.
Fashola
Babatunde Fashola, executive governor of Lagos state, is likely to be a key figure in the next administration of Muhammadu Buhari. He was born on the 28 of June, 1963, studied Law at the University of Benin, and was Called to the Nigerian Bar in November 1988.
His flourishing private legal practice, running into nearly fifteen years, saw him acquiring appreciable expertise and vast experience in such areas as Litigation, Intellectual Property. He was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria [SAN], a leadership position of the Nigerian Bar and the nation’s highest legal distinction and honour for lawyers.
He was appointed Chief of Staff by the former Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who he later succeeded in office With the experiences he garnered he resigned voluntarily to contest for the Office of Governor of Lagos State under the platform of Action Congress [AC].
Since his election to the office of Governor of Lagos State in 2007, he has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in public service and uncommon commitment to his avowed pledge to lead the change that would transform Lagos into Africa’s model mega-city.
Amaechi
Chibuike Amaechi was born May 27, 1965, in Umuordu-Ubima in Ikwerre ethnic nationality of the present Ikwerre Local Government area of Rivers State, Nigeria. He is endowed with high intelligence and fertile mind. He gained admission into the University of Port Harcourt and graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He later obtained a Masters degree in English from the same university.
Upon leaving the University, young Rotimi Amaechi started his working career as Public Relations Officer (PRO) with the Pamo Clinics and Hospitals Limited, Port Harcourt in 1988. It was at PAMO Clinic that he met with Dr Peter Odili, the former Governor of Rivers State, who was then the proprietor.
He joined the National Republican Convention party (NRC), and was elected Secretary of the Party in Ikwerre Local Government area. His political associates found him a humble, dynamic, vibrant and reliable.
He joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform he contested for a seat in the Rivers State House of Assembly in 1999. He passed through the arduous fireworks of the justice system, a very long tortuous road that took almost nine months to earn him the needed justice at the nation’s Supreme Court on the 25 October, 2007 from where he was declared winner of the governorship election in Rivers State. He had his mandate restored back and was sworn in as the Executive Governor of Rivers State.
The State Governor, Amaechi, is a practicing Christian, married to Judith Amaechi and blessed with three children.
Oshiomhole
Adams Oshiomhole was born on April 4, 1952 in Iyamoh, near Auchi in today’s Edo State. In 1969 before his tertiary education, he had taken up appointment with the Arewa Textiles Company. In 1982, Oshiomhole was appointed by the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria as their General Secretary. With the restoration of democracy to Nigeria in 1999, Oshiomhole became the 4th president of the NLC. In 2006, the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma awarded him an honorary doctorate of law degree. At the International, he represented African workers for two terms on the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
In April 2007, he was overwhelmingly elected Governor of Edo State under the Action Congress Party.
Oshiomhole is married with five children.
Abike Dabiri
Abike Dabiri Erewa has continued to distinguish herself as a virtuous, respected, trustworthy, courteous woman with strong values. Born to the family of Ashafa Erogbogbo of Ikorodu, she attended the prestigious University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) Ile – Ife where she obtained a degree in English Language. She obtained a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Mass Communication and a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. Dabiri Erewa is also an alumnus of Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA.
She spent 15 years of distinguished and meritorious service at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA). Elected in 2003 to represent the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Lagos State by a landslide victory. She has distinguished herself as a member of the Federal House of Representatives.
Since her election in 2003, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has been widely recognized as a tenacious advocate for her constituency. She sponsored the FOI bill which has now been signed into law in Nigeria.
She was a strong voice against the third term agenda of the then President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo. She has also served as Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs and Chairman Diaspora affairs from 2007 to 2011,
She remains committed to her constituency, state and the Nation. She is a proud wife and mother of two.
Kwankwaso
Rabiu Kwankwaso was born on October 21 1956 at Kwankwaso town in Madobi Local Government Area, Kano State. He attended Kaduna Polytechnic where he did his National and Higher National Diploma. From there he went on to Middlesex Polytechnic (1982-1983) and Loughborough University of Technology (1983 -1985) in the UK where he got his Masters Degree in Water Engineering.
His active party political life started with his election as a member of House of Representatives in 1992 representing Madobi Federal Constituency. His 1992 subsequent election as Deputy Speaker in the House brought him to the limelight of national politics. Under that dispensation, he contested and won the governorship of Kano State from 1999 to 2003. He failed to win re-election in 2003 and was subsequently appointed Minister of Defence under President Obasanjo. Advisor to the President on Darfur and Somalia, and a member NDPC representing North West. He is currently the governor of Kano state.
Dele Alake
Dele Alake born 6 October 6, 1956 is a journalist, activist and technocrat recognised as one of the heroes of Nigeria’s democracy. He is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, under the then governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu.
He was the communication advisor and confidant of Moshood Abiola the winner of the annulled June 12 presidential election in Nigeria in 1993. Alake in 1975 enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree programme in Political Science of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos and graduated in 1978. He obtained a Master’s degree in Mass Communications in 1981.
In late 1985, he joined the Concord Press, publishers of the Concord Group of Newspapers. Later he became Editor of the National Concord, a post he retained till June 1999.
He became the first Information and strategy Commissioner in the annals of Nigeria. In 2010, revealed his intention to contest the senatorial seat of Ekiti Central in Ekiti State. However his political aspiration was cut short by intra-party crisis which made him to quit the senatorial race.
Obi Ezekwesili
Obiageli Ezekwesili was trained with the firm of Deloitte and Touche and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
From 1994 to 1999, she served as a founding director of Transparency International (TI) and as TI’s director for Africa. She also worked with Jeffrey Sachs as director of the Harvard-Nigeria Economic Strategy programme, during which time she was also appointed as an aide to President Obasanjo, from 2000 to 2002.
In 2003, Oby was designated senior special assistant to the President of Nigeria on Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence. She served as Nigeria’s minister of solid minerals from 2005 to 2006; and minister of education from June 2006 to May 2007.
She also served as the chairperson of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) from 2004 and led the voluntary sign-on of Nigeria to the NEITI Principles as well as the first ever process, financial and physical audit of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Oby is well established in the Nigerian and international speaking circuits since she left the World Bank where she was a vice president.
She is a chartered accountant, who holds a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos, a Masters in Public Policy and Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nigeria. In May 2012, Ezekwesili was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science (DSC) degree by the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
CHARLES IKE-OKOH
