Making Search for Saints Elsewhere - Buhari

Do you get the impression that Nigerians generally seem to think that the lists of ministerial nominees submitted to the Senate for screening by President Muhammadu Buhari were underwhelming? But why would anyone dismiss such lists for the simplistic reason that most of the nominees were known? The critics make it look as if there is some hidden virtue in being faceless.

Some argue that the lists can only be credible if more Nigerians in the Diaspora appear on them; the more unknown they are, the better it seems. These Nigerians, like their compatriots who love foreign made goods no matter the quality, obviously think that whatever is made in Nigeria must be inferior.

They need to know that for every Harvard University in America, there are probably two other universities that do not quite make the grade. The regional American university accreditation bodies can confirm this to anyone who cares to interrogate America’s higher education system.

The panache and can-do dispositions of former Presidential Adviser on Millennium Development Goals Amina Mohammed, a former Ogun State Commissioner for Finance, Kemi Adeosun, a former Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Audu Ogbeh, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, and former Governors Babatunde Fashola and Kayode Fayemi bedazzled some senators.

They gave good account of themselves, and sometimes said things that were clearly above the heads of some gawking senators. Theirs is a testimony that having been at a game long enough could mean being well-tested, and having the opportunity to prove one’s mettle and hone one’s skills.

Others who shoot down the ministerial lists dredged out slur against it-from history, their memory, and sheer imagination.This set of critics does not like the idea of the hand of an Esau accompanying the voice of a Jacob. They argue that association with a political godfather — whose politics and morals they disdain or question — necessarily taints some nominees.

Yet, other critics question the inclusion of hard core politicos in the team. They seem to have forgotten that this is politics after all. Politicos shouldn’t just hold the cows for the technocrats to milk. While politicos may be in politics for gain, and maybe service, technocrats, generally long on performance, may be dismally gauche at political brinkmanship.

You therefore need politicos to kill the brush fires that the linear thinking, almost insensitive, technocrats may create. It’s a necessary balancing act, as you’ll agree that every government needs some savoir faire to ride political tempests. Students of politics are already drawing profound conclusions about the wisdom of teaming up technocrat Babatunde Fashola with politically astute Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos State.

Another group of critics queries the inclusion of certain individuals whom they perceive as having an albatross of corruption or at least a probe around their necks. You may recall that Presidential Candidate Buhari had told his audience at Britain’s Chatham House in February 2015 that, “The corrupt will have no place in my administration.”

Chibuike Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State, appears to be the biggest victim of the corruption perception. And he has taken up the gauntlet by getting his lawyers to write Senate President Bukola Saraki, asking to be screened.

He argues that the petitions and the Rivers State Government White Paper circularised in the Senate to stymie his nomination are a sheaf of falsehood and libel. This suggests that he may contest the content of these documents in court someday. The Senate appears sympathetic to his case, because Senate spokesman, Senator Dino Melaye, assured everyone that Amaechi would be screened.

Some Amaechi sympathisers contend that a Senate that harbours past governors upon whose heads hang the Sword of Damocles of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Code of Conduct Tribunal has no moral authority to decline the screening of Amaechi on the grounds of corruption. You know the Yoruba quip, “Shago n bu’go, ologuronbuelemu,” the pot calling the kettle black.

Lawyer and social activist, Olu Adegboruwa, is of the opinion that the President’s second list of nominees “is reflective of appointments for patronage, whereby people are being compensated for their perceived acts of loyalty or affiliation with the President.” He concludes that “the list is a far cry for recognising the youths, the civil society, (while) women are not adequately represented.”

While he may have been peeved that the name of his learned friend and fellow activist, Femi Falana, somehow slipped off the list (this writer felt a sense of loss too), he certainly cannot fail to recognise that Kemi Adeosun is both female and a youth! Indeed, you do not get any female or youthful than that.

But seriously, Mr. President must think through Adegboruwa’s submission. If it is too late to amend the list of ministers, he must find a way to include the principled voices of dissent, the females, and the youths in subsequent appointments. Every point of view is necessary to the effort of remaking Nigeria into a land of the beautiful and the great.

But what Nigerians should really be looking out for in the nominees should be evidence of competence, credibility, love for Nigeria, wholesome values, and appropriate work ethics, while also ensuring conformity with the “unfortunate and unfortunate” federal character clause in the constitution. Section 147(3) requires the President to “appoint at least one minister from each state, who shall be an indigene of such state.”

Section 147(5) provides that, “No person shall be appointed as Minister of the Federation unless he is qualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives.” That may explain why ministers are referred to as honourables.

It is pertinent to check out sections 65 and 66 of the constitution that qualify a man for eligibility to the House of Representatives: Such an individual must be a Nigerian citizen, at least 30 years old, have at least a high school certificate, and not adjudged to be a lunatic, or under a death sentence.

Such a person must not have had a criminal conviction or contravened provisions of Nigeria’s Code of Conduct within 10 years prior, been indicted for embezzlement or fraud by a Judicial Commission of Enquiry or Administrative Panel of Inquiry or Tribunal, or legally declared bankrupt. He must also have retired or resigned from public service at least 30 days prior.

But sponsorship by, or belonging to, a political party, and not having been disqualified for presenting forged certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission presumes that technocrats who may desire to serve Nigeria must belong to political parties. That is a curve that may not necessarily apply to ministerial nominees. As for not being a member of a secret cult, you will have to take the word of the nominees for it.

President Buhari says the list of his ministerial nominees is coming late because he wanted to re-position the ministries before finding the individuals with the perfect fit. And many of the nominees come with dazzling CVs. But Nigerians have the right to say about them, “No be am,” or it’s not quite it, if their morals are in doubt. The President will then have to shop for the desired saints elsewhere.