As criticisms continue trail President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of Ministers ahead of the commencement of his second term, the party , the All Progressive Congress APC on Monday said the President has patronized every section of the country
National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, while fielding questions from the State House Correspondents after meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the President demonstrated “ capacity to patronize all including places where he did not win election”
The APC National Chairman while noting that Patronage can be positive or negative, added that “ but if there is one man who has shown the capacity to patronize all including where he did not win election, it is President Muhammadu Buhari”
“Otherwise, where we got less than five percent, I saw two ministers coming from that state, inspite of the fact that he got less than five percent there” , in apparent reference to Anambra state, where he nominated Sharon Ikeazor and Chris Ngige for ministerial positions
Oshiomhole said that “ speaks volumes about a large heart, to accommodate, appreciate and to have an all inclusive government.”
He dismissed criticism trailing the President’s nomination, wondering how “ credible are some of those who are talking? “
Drawing inferences from his previous roles as labour leader, Oshiomhole said it is impossible for the President to have met and interacted with every Nigerian
“Even as I can say that I have worked for Nigerian people at all levels, as a worker in a factory, as President of the NLC, as governor of a state and now as a national chairman of a party, there are too many Nigerians I will never be able to know.
He however pointed out that the current screening process is meant to enable Nigerians see who these people are.
“But you will find that people started dismissing the list even before they saw it, just like some other things that Nigerians dismiss without knowing the meaning.
So, what you and I should insist on is that in the president’s second term, in this next level, our party, our government at the center, state and local government level must deliver. That is the entry point for every Nigerian.”
“And when you talk of patronage, should we appoint…have you heard of Americans appointing Russians because they are experts to go and preside over their MDAs? Even in your newspapers do you invite me as APC chairman to come and write your editorial?
Oshiomhole expressed the optimistism that the ministers will help the President deliver on the campaign promises made to Nigerians
“ All of us working together, the party, the executive which the ministers belong to and the National Assembly where we have overwhelming majority, we have what it takes to take Nigeria to the next level and the next level we are going there.
Speaking on the crises in the party especially with Bauchi and his State, Edo, Oshiomhole reiterated his condemnations for the lopsided proclamation by a few members of both States Houses of Assembly, describing their actions as “ unconstitutional”
He reminded of how he worked hard to enthrone APC led leadership in both the Upper and lower Legislative Chambers at the center, adding the States should have adopted similar lobbying process instead of the “ undemocratic process adopted”
“ Remember that I was saying that Saraki must be removed, people would say how would I do it? I said okay if he resists removal then we would uproot. We went to Kwara, we did Otoge, we uprooted Saraki and you cannot commend me for this? You know who Saraki is? If you are talking of the most smartest political player, seasoned smart guy, he is. But for every smartness he has, I have a superior smartness.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
