BY ROTIMI DUROJAIYE
Following the recently enacted law signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, President Bola Tinubu is obliged to announce his ministerial list within 60 days of assuming office as the President of Nigeria.
According to the provisions of this law, if President Tinubu chooses not to make any major changes to the existing system, he will be required to present the names of 27 ministers for confirmation by the Senate within the specified timeframe.
This process ensures that the executive branch is effectively constituted, allowing for the smooth functioning of the government and the implementation of policies and programmes.
The president is expected to announce a list of 42 ministers that will represent the 36 states, with extra six representing each of the six geopolitical zones.
As a result, the deadline for President Tinubu to unveil his ministerial nominees is approaching, specifically by July 28.
Since assuming office, President Tinubu has demonstrated a proactive approach and a strong commitment to fulfilling his responsibilities. He has wasted no time in initiating various activities and engaging in actions that have captured the attention of Nigerians and the outside world.
President Tinubu’s swift actions and the momentum he has maintained since taking office have generated high expectations among the Nigerian populace. Citizens are eagerly anticipating the announcement of his ministerial appointments, as this will play a crucial role in shaping the direction and policies of his administration.
The selection of competent and capable individuals as ministers is paramount to meet the expectations of Nigerians and ensure effective governance. As the discussions and speculations regarding the potential ministerial candidates continue, the public remains eager to see who President Tinubu will choose to fill these critical positions.
The Nigerian people are looking forward to a dynamic and effective leadership under President Tinubu, with hopes that his ministerial appointments will reflect his commitment to delivering on the promises made during his campaign. The choice of ministers will not only be a reflection of his leadership style but will also determine the direction and focus of his administration in addressing the challenges faced by the nation.
“Many analysts had attributed the slow take-off of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to his late announcement of ministers. Buhari, who handed over to Tinubu after eight years, unveiled his cabinet six months after his inauguration in 2015”
Timeline of ministerial list submissions to Senate
As history shows, the timing of submitting ministerial lists to the Senate has varied among past administrations.
Since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, past presidents have sent their ministerial lists swiftly to the Senate, while others took more time to finalize their ministerial nominations.
For example, former President Olusegun Obasanjo wasted no time, quickly sending his ministerial list to the Senate on June 4, 1999, a mere six days after his inauguration.
During his second term, Obasanjo followed a similar pattern, submitting the list on June 23, 2003, taking 25 days.
The subsequent administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua exhibited a longer delay, taking 59 days before forwarding his ministerial list to the Senate on July 27, 2007.
Under President Goodluck Jonathan, the trend returned to a relatively shorter duration. On June 28, 2011, Jonathan sent his ministerial list to the Senate, marking 30 days after his inauguration.
The tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, however, witnessed a significant delay in the submission of the ministerial list.
It took an amazing 124 days for Buhari to present his list to the Senate, finally doing so on September 30, 2015.
Considering this historical context, Nigerians are now curious about President Tinubu’s approach.
While the timeline for submitting his ministerial list to the Senate remains unknown, the red Chambers is currently adjourned until July 4.
In a significant development on Monday, President Tinubu took decisive steps to address the country’s security challenges by ordering the retirement of all military chiefs and making key appointments.
The President’s decision to appoint Major Generals as new Service Chiefs has garnered significant attention and raised discussions about his aim to introduce fresh leadership and strategies to combat the security threats facing the nation.
President Tinubu had on June 15, named eight persons as Special Advisers, said State House Director Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye.
In a statement, Oladunjoye said the President appointed Dele Alake as his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy and Yau Darazo as Special Adviser on Political and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Tinubu also appointed Nuhu Ribadu as his Special Adviser on Security and Wale Edun as Special Adviser on Monetary Policies.
The President appointed Olu Verheijen as Special Adviser on Energy and Zachaeus Adedeji as Special Adviser on Revenue.
Others are John Uwajumogu (Special Adviser, Industry, Trade and Investment), and Salma Anas (Special Adviser, Health).
The appointments are with immediate effect, the statement concluded.
The appointments followed the Senate’s approval of Tinubu’s request for 20 Special Advisers on June 6, 2023.
It is worth noting that the appointment of Special Advisers does not necessarily require legislative approval. However, to demonstrate transparency and adherence to due process, the president sought the Senate’s consent for these appointments. Consequently, on Thursday, June 15, President Tinubu officially announced the appointment of eight Special Advisers.
This move reflects the president’s commitment to assembling a team of experienced individuals who will provide expert advice and support in various areas of governance. The appointed Special Advisers are expected to contribute their expertise and assist the president in effectively executing his duties and responsibilities.
On June 2, 2023, Tinubu appointed the former Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as his Chief of Staff, while Ibrahim Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, was named his Deputy Chief of Staff.
The President also named a former Governor of Benue State and immediate past Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, to serve as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
On June 19, President Bola Tinubu sacked all the country’s service chiefs.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect,” Willie Bassey, a spokesman for the Secretary to the Nigerian Government, said in a statement.
The new appointments came after the president fired all service chiefs and announced immediate replacements across the country, in a move that also affected the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.
Tinubu named Abiodun Lagbaja as the new chief of army staff. Lagbaja, a major-general, was, until his appointment, the general officer in charge of Nigerian Army 1 Division, Kaduna.
Kayode Egbetokun, the new Inspector-General of Police, was once Tinubu’s chief security officer during the President’s time as Lagos State governor. His confirmation as IGP came days after he was promoted to deputy police inspector-general.
The president also confirmed Nuhu Ribadu as the National Security Adviser. Ribadu led the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from when it became operational in 2003 until late 2007 when he was fired by former President Umar Yar’Adua.
Adeniyi Bashir Adewale was named acting-comptroller-general of Nigeria Customs Service.
The president also named Major-General Christopher Gwabin Musa from Sokoto as the new chief of defence staff; while Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla from Enugu State was confirmed as the new chief of naval staff.
The Nigerian Air Force is to be led by Baba Abubakar, an air vice marshal, according to the president’s announcement, while Paul Undiandeye will lead the Defence Intelligence.
Other appointments by the president include Adebisi Onasanya, a colonel, as commander of Brigade of Guards; Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, a lieutenant-colonel, as commander of Nigerian Army 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro; Auwalu Inuwa, a lieutenant-colonel, as commander of Nigerian Army 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi; Mohammed Abdulkarim, a lieutenant-colonel, as commander of Nigerian Army 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja; and Olumide Akingbesote, a lieutenant-colonel, as commander of 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada.
Further appointments made by the president included Isa Farouk Audu, a major, as commander of the State House Artillery; Kazeem Sunmonu, a captain, as second-in-command of the State House Artillery; Kamaru Koyejo Hamza, a major, as commander of State House Military Intelligence; T.S. Adeola, a major, as commander of the State House Armament; and A. Aminu, a lieutenant, as second-in-command of the State House Armament.
Finally, the president confirmed Hadiza Bala Usman as a special adviser, policy coordination; Hannatu Musawa, special adviser, culture and entertainment economy; Abdulahi Gumel, senior special assistant, National Assembly matter (Senate); and Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim, senior special assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
On May 29, 2023 during the inauguration of Tinubu as Nigeria’s President, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, James Faleke, said the President will unveil members of his cabinet within 60 days in office.
Many analysts had attributed the slow take-off of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to his late announcement of ministers. Buhari, who handed over to Tinubu after eight years, unveiled his cabinet six months after his inauguration in 2015.
However, Nigerians expect Tinubu to do things differently and name his ministers that would constitute the Federal Executive Council in record time.
Experts noted that if President Tinubu needed any reminder of the role his cabinet members and other appointees would play in resetting Nigeria’s struggling economy, the financial market’s reaction to the suspension of Godwin Emefiele as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, provided a glimpse.
The suspension of the head of Nigeria’s most powerful agency not only triggered the biggest gain in the country’s stock market in 15 years, it also caused the country’s dollar-denominated bonds to rally by the most this year while the naira posted a rare gain in the parallel market.
Emefiele had adopted unorthodox monetary policies that spooked investors and ended up doing the economy more harm than good. His removal is considered a necessary precondition to shift to a functioning monetary policy and exchange rate regime.
The ex-CBN’s boss example shows that sometimes, getting it right in Nigeria is as simple as getting the right people in. That’s why the make-up of Tinubu’s cabinet is the next test before the 71-year-old after ending the country’s long-standing addiction to costly petrol subsidies and suspending Emefiele.
Stakeholders said that Tinubu’s cabinet will send the clearest signal yet of what his administration holds for Nigeria’s wobbling economy.
Tinubu has assured that competence rather than politics will shape his selection of ministers. He doesn’t have a choice. Nigeria’s dire health demands a team of competent individuals who have the vision and capacity to breathe life into the ailing country.
Tinubu’s decision of who leads key ministries from Finance to Trade and Investment will be key for the economy even as his appointment of a new CBN governor will be decisive.
To capture the work ahead for the next ministers of Finance as well as Trade and Investment, Nigeria is contending with low revenues and a mounting debt burden that is piling pressure on public finances. Foreign investment into the economy has also slumped with foreign direct investment sliding to a six-year low.
“With the petrol subsidy gone and the new administration signaling a shift in monetary policy, the next big test for Tinubu is who he selects to form his cabinet,” a leading investor in Nigeria said.
Several other investors and analysts also noted that the new trigger for the markets will be the choice of President Tinubu’s team.
With Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President, experts are confident that Tinubu’s cabinet is closer to being formed.
They said all that was standing in the way of announcing his much-anticipated team of ministers was the formation of the 10th Senate and with that over the line, there are expectations that Tinubu will unveil his team any moment from now.
However, experts said that appointing ministers solely on competence won’t be that easy for Tinubu whose Aso-Rock residence has been besieged by several politicians in the last weeks as intense lobbying continues ahead of the formation of his cabinet.
The president has since his assumption devoted extra time to meeting politicians, who played active roles during his campaigns, as well as members of the opposition parties.
Tinubu has also met with Rabiu Kwankwaso, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement and leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
“There are well qualified Nigerians who can effectively occupy these offices and I have confidence that the president will put square pegs in square holes”
As part of the consultations, the president also embarked on a series of meetings with the state governors and national assembly members, in preparation for the inauguration of the lawmakers and subsequent submission of ministerial lists.
The president also met with former Governor Nyesom Wike-led members of the Integrity Group, also known as “G5 Governors”, three times within one week.
The Wike-led group comprises Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and former Governors Okezie Ikpeazu, of Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwanyi- of Enugu, and Samuel Ortom of Benue.
Prior to this, Wike had earlier visited the State House in the company of James Ibori, former governor of Delta State and Governor Seyi Markinde of Oyo State.
Wike’s visits are said to be a continuation of his pre-election romance with Tinubu when he was the presidential candidate of the APC.
The Point gathered that these visits may not be unconnected with the ongoing intense lobbying for political offices, ahead of the submission of the president’s ministerial list to the National Assembly.
The president had earlier met with Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, Peter Mbah of Enugu of State, as well as governors of Plateau and Akwa Ibom states, Caleb Mutfwang and Umo Eno, respectively, as he continues consultation for his ministerial list.
For the purposes of political expediency, state governors are expected to have inputs into the choice of those to represent their states as political appointees at the federal level.
Adetokumbo Kayode, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, urged the president to “put square pegs in square holes.”
“There are well qualified Nigerians who can effectively occupy these offices and I have confidence that the president will put square pegs in square holes.
“He is coming from a rich background with sound knowledge in politics and administration, so we do not have any fears that he will get it right this time around,” Kayode said.
President Tinubu, on Saturday, departed Paris, France, for London for a “private visit.”
“Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit,” a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, read on Saturday.
The statement is titled ‘After successful Paris outing, President Tinubu off to London on a private visit.’
Alake revealed that the “President will be back in the country in time for the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival.”
On Friday, Tinubu concluded his official trip to Paris, during which he participated in the summit for ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Aside from his participation at the event, the President also held high-profile sideline meetings with fellow heads of state and government, global business leaders, and chief executives of leading multilateral and development finance institutions from around the world.
The Presidential spokesman noted that the summit afforded the Nigerian leader the opportunity to project on a global stage, his advocacy for widening the fiscal space, and economic justice for Africa as the world accelerates the pace of energy transition.
Tinubu also advocated the urgency of addressing the pressing issues of poverty and climate change.
