As Nigerians react to the list of Ministers submitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation by the Senate, opinions are divided as to the seriousness of the President’s commitments to the fight against corruption.
The Executive Director of the Civil Society and Legislative Advocacy Center CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim, while reacting to the names submitted, said the names has exposed President Muhammadu Buhari’s lack of commitments to the anti corruption fight.
According to him, “ We are shocked and many Nigerians are also surprised that the President can go ahead and nominate those who are under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
He also berated the nomination of some members of the previous cabinet who he said failed to perform to expectations under the immediate past administration
“Many of them ought not to have come back. So, we are worried that nothing good will come out of this cabinet just like the previous one”.
The Civil Society advocacy expert who observed the absence of the much needed technocrats, wondered why it took the President so long to come up with his list of Ministers
According to him, “ Apart from lacking inclusiveness, Nigerians are also not impressed because the cabinet have less number of technocrats and experts to help restructure the economy”
On whether the Senate can help to ensure that better Ministers are nominated, Ibrahim noted that the current Senate lacks the bite to force Mr. President to produce better Minister as according to him, “ they cannot do anything about the list, if they try to reject any of the nominees, the President will tag them as anti government and anti APC
Suleiman Lamorde, who also described himself as a loyal party member of the All Progressive Congress APC, decried the return of former Education Minister Adamu Adamu, wondering why the President returned him for a second term after “ failing woefully during his first tenure”
“Apart from Rotimi Amaechi, Raji Fashola and to some extent Chris Ngige, others who returned do not deserve their reappointment”
“ I do not have much information about the new ones but the President ought to have searched for better hands to help him achieve on his next level agenda” he said.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
