Thursday, November 7

A Glance into Buhari’s Inner Caucus Cabinet as Concerns Mount over Delayed Ministerial Appointments

By Dele Ogbodo

As opposition mounts penultimate week on the legality and propriety of the retention of some key Presidential Aides

to President Muhammadu Buhari, by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Human Rights Organizations with the collapsed of his first term in office, presidency during the weekend moved swiftly to confirm the re-appointment of Buhari’s 15 key personal staff back dated to May 29.

Meanwhile there have been concerns and agitations among stakeholders on the delay in appointing or reappointing the ministers into the various ministries.

Could the presidential election tribunal already which is in top gear perhaps be one of the reasons why there is delay in constituting the cabinet? From the first Republic till date there is no known record of the upturn of initial outcome of presidential election result in the country.

At the last dispensation, it took President Buhari 6 months to constitute his Executive Council, which analysts say slowed down the wheel of progress that would been made in moving the country forward.

The fact that 2 months have expired and the search for would be ministers does not speak well of the administration.

Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Spokesperson for the President Buhari, while confirming the various re-appointments of the president personal staff in a statement made available to SHARPEDGENews during the week end said President Buhari, has approved the re-appointment of Mr. Boss Mustapha as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and Mallam Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff (COS) to the President.

The re-appointments of Kyari and Mustapha which took effect from May 29, reaffirms the belief that the duo still remain the brain-box and engine room of the Buhari administration and will expectedly drive Buhari’s second term agenda.

What has been the stewardship of the duo in the last 4 years towards upping the ante of good governance in the country especially as alleged controversies trailed Kyari between 2015 and 2019.

Watchers and observers of Aso rock believe that there will be no seismic paradigm in the way and manners governance of government’s machinery.

A closer look at the 15 kitchen cabinet members shows, Mohammed Sarki Abba – Senior Special Assistant to the President (Household and Social Events), Mr. Ya’u Shehu Darazo as Senior Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties), Dr Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi: Personal Physician to the President, Amb. Lawal A. Kazaure – State Chief of Protocol, Sabiu Yusuf also as Special Assistant (Office of the President), Saley Yuguda – Special Assistant (House Keeping), Ahmed Muhammed Mayo – Special Assistant (Finance & Administration), Mohammed Hamisu Sani – Special Assistant (Special Duties), Mr. Friday Bethel as Personal Assistant, (General Duties), Sunday Aghaeze – Personal Assistant: State Photographer and Bayo Omoboriowo – Personal Assistant Presidential Photographer.

Mr. Femi Adesina, retains his position as Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity).

At the heat of the electioneering campaign for the 2019 election, the Buhari administration, promised to carry the female counterpart along in the scheme of things, however, the scenario in the appointment of over 15 kitchen cabinet members showed an all male gender.

Also squared on the basis of North and South distribution of portfolios, the North weighed more in ratio of 10 to 5.

Messrs. Friday Bethel, Sunny Aghaeze, Bayo Omoboriowo and Femi Adesina are more less second fiddle positions. This juxtaposition is also of concern and a signpost of is to to come when the Exco members are being formed, perhaps before the end of July.

 

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