Not long ago, President Umar Yar’Adua exercised his constitutional power to reshuffle his cabinet. That exercise was marked mostly by the appointment of new ministers. As normal with Nigerians on such occasions, there have been series of observations not entirely complimentary.
A notable feature of the criticisms was on the appointment of ex-state governors (even from the Senate) as new ministers. So soon after eight consecutive years as state governors. The case was that these ex-governors should have been allowed some break not the least because they were carrying about the stain of allegations of corruption levelled by former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu.

To be fair, these ex-governors are entitled to legal/constitutional rights of ordinary Nigerians to be presumed innocent until proved guilty by due process of law. So far, apart from Ribadu’s sweeping and blank allegations, there is yet not a single documentary evidence against the former governors. Furthermore, the memorable meeting between ex-EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu, with his successor, Farida Waziri, is still to take place. Certainly, such a meeting will provide the two anti-crime bosses the opportunity to iron out the snag of whereabouts of the evidence to back up the allegations of corruption against the ex-governors.
However, this is not to say the ex-governors have accordingly been cleared of the allegations against them. Neither should there have been any undue worry to need their services at any level. The more reason President Yar’Adua should not appointed any of the ex-governors into new posts.

The second reason Yar’Adua should have kept the ex-governors at a distant is that, with their appointments, a new hindrance has been created for the EFCC in investigating allegations of corrupt enrichment against the ex-governors. Whether Yar’Adua likes it or not, the clear implication of appointing his colleagues ministers is not only that he has cleared them of all standing allegations of corruption but also that he (Yar’Adua) has total confidence in their (ex-governors’) integrity. What then is left for the EFCC to investigate?

Last time, impeachment proceedings were to commence against a PDP state governor. Serious allegations of corrupt enrichment were listed and released to the public and the media. Instead of allowing the constitutional process to go through after which the governor could be indicted and lose office, or could be cleared and retain his integrity, the same Yar’Adua summoned the legislators of the state concerned to Aso Rock and stopped them from the impeachment process.
A state governor sacked a permanent secretary and got him detained for alleged theft of public funds. The permanent secretary countered with more serious allegations of theft of public funds by the state governor. Suddenly, there was a political armistice with the governor and the permanent secretary mutually backing down from their allegations and counter allegations.

The ex-state governor is now one of President Yar’Adua’s newly appointed Federal Ministers. With Yar’Adua’s personal confidence in his ministers, how could the EFCC pursue such a man? Yet, Nigerias are daily chocked with a seven-point agenda which does not include glossing over allegation of corruption.
A surprise criticism of Yar’Adua’s new cabinet is the posting of former Director-General NAFDAC, Dora Akunyili to the Ministry of Information. The criticisms were (a) that she should have been posted to the Ministry of Health in view of her status as a career pharmacist (b) only a journalist should have been appointed Information Minister and (c) her appointment was a ploy to dislodge her from NAFDAC.

Even journalists, among others, don’t seem to know that Ministry of Information is one of the toughest. Dora Akunyili was clearly tough at NAFDAC. She should have therefore, been assigned the proper ministry for which her background adequately prepared her. At NAFDAC, she most effectively employed services of the media to enlighten the public on her activities and achievements through publications and television screens all over the place. How she broke the back of fake drug cartel and collected hundreds of awards at home and abroad were communicated every day.

A ministerial material, in any case, must be versatile to fit into any ministry especially at Ministry of Information where the incumbent carries not only for her ministerial colleagues but also the Presidency, even when the product is bad.

Nobody is born a minister and the system is such that a minister taps the knowledge and experience of top career civil servants no more than the president relies on his ministers for most aspects of government policies. If a minister disagrees with his or her top policy adviser, he or she will be convinced with necessary facts and figures. Where he or she remains unyielding, then the buck stops on her table. After all, like ministers, civil servants too do not have a monopoly of knowledge.
It is, therefore narrow-minded to consign journalists to only Ministry of Information. The late Professor Essang was either an engineer or a finance expert or even neither of the two. Yet, Essang served Shehu Shagari first as Minister of Finance and later Minister of Works. In both capacities, he fully discharged himself.
Femi Okunnu is a legal practitioner.

Yet for many years, Okunnu was Minister of Works under the Gowon regime and oversaw the construction of overpass bridges and the ring road in Lagos. If we are to go by the posture of today’s critics, an engineer rather than Okunnu should have been appointed Minister of Works. Tam David-West is a professor of virology but he was outstanding as Minister of Petroleum. Jubril Aminu is a Professor of Medicine but did he not leave his mark as Minister of Petroleum?
Posting Dora Akunyili to the Ministry of Information was, therefore, to utilise her talent to publicise Federal Government the same way she publicised her activities at NAFDAC. In fact, her role in the new cabinet is one of the most appropriate.

Clearly, the most mischievous of the criticisms of Akunyili as Information Minister is that her appointment was a clever ploy to dislodge her from NAFDAC.
Since the regime of Olusegun Obasanjo, it was always clear that Dora Akunyili wanted to be a minister. How then could she achieve her ambition without leaving NAFDAC? Her exit from that agency, if it is now a regret, was self-induced.

To be fair to Akunyili, she did not complain about her new job or leaving NAFDAC. Any aspiring minister or state commissioner must be prepared for any portfolio, which is strictly at the discretion of the president or a governor.

Ideally, Akunyili should have remained, enjoying her limelight and national acclamation at NAFDAC, but either by accident or design, since the Obasanjo days, at the slightest speculation of cabinet reshuffle, virtually every section of the print media would be pushing Dora Akunyili as a possible minister.
Also about those times, both print and electronic media would be awash with congratulatory messages on latest and even past awards at home and abroad. The purpose was clear, but Obasanjo refused to be stampeded. Now, Umar Yar’Adua duly acknowledged public and media acclamation of Akunyili’s achievements at NAFDAC and duly rewarded her with ministerial appointment. The same Yar’Adua is being criticised for clandestinely removing the lady from NAFDAC? What type of country is this?

The appointment of Rilwan Lukman and Dr. Shettima as Petroleum and Defence ministers respectively, also generated criticisms on grounds of purported old age or recycling. What old age, even at 70 and in fact, both are less than 70.
Again, we are back at selectivity or latent double standard, in public discussions. Ethnic prejudice may be too strong to deduce, but that will be dishonest. Is any of them (Rilwan Lukman and Dr. Shettima) any older than the late Bola Ige when the deceased was appointed a minister by Olusegun Obasanjo? Where were the critics at that time?

Nnamdi Azikiwe sought Nigeria’s presidency at the age of 74. Britain’s Edward Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli become prime ministers, each at the age of over 70. America’s Ronald Reagan became president at 70 years. Obafemi Awolowo at over 74 years, vied for Nigeria’s presidency in 1983. These facts of history had mainly their experience and proven ability as their testimonial.

How old was Sunday Afolabi as Interior Minister under Obasanjo or Prof Ben Nwabueze and Abdul Rahman under Ibrahim Babangida? The older they are, the more mature and going by current revelations, the less tempted to steal public funds because they have their reputation, which they guard jealously.
Recycled? Mere loose words! Truly, Lukman and Dr. Shettima served in the past as ministers but each left with his reputation intact. Apart from that, Dr. Shettima, for example, had a long break from 1993. Lukman similarly took a long break from1992. But he served as energy adviser to Olusegun Obasanjo. The distinction was that Lukman, on observing the criminal deals going at Petroleum Ministry, under the direct control of Obasanjo and the NNPC, took the rare and honourable step of resigning on principle.

What further credential would a man need to serve his country as a minister or even president?
That was the point made by Obafemi Awolowo in 1979 when he told Nigerians that at his age, he was merely offering his services to the nation. Such services are what we need at this period of national economic emergency.

Like Rilwan Lukman and Dr. Shettima, the late Bola Ige similarly had long break from serving as a commissioner under the then Military Governor, Robert Adebayo in the defunct Western State. Bola Ige also served as governor of Oyo State (present Oyo and Osun States) from 1979 to 1983 before returning as minister under Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. Bola Ige was not at that time younger, if not older than Rilwan Lukman and Dr. Shettima. The average, from ministerial or executive appointments, for each of the three men was 15 years.

Since Bola Ige was not recycled, Rilwan Lukman and Dr. Shettima cannot fairly be run down, as recycled.
Only a past failure can be recycled. A major success? Rilwan Lukwan was Petroleum minister, President of OPEC, minister of External Affairs, Secretary-General of OPEC, Energy adviser to Obasanjo, etc. Such rich experience to be rubbished!

The issue is not that particular figures are indispensable. But their experiences are always invaluable to the country. The same reason America’s new President Barrack Obama has chosen Senator George Mitchel as his roving ambassador to crisis-ridden Middle East. Senator Mitchel retired from American Congress over 10 years ago but his experience and international respect are being tapped.

By the way, the case of Lukman can similarly be made for Professor Tam David-West and Senator Jubril Aminu, both ex-Petroleum ministers. Their past record will always be there for any willing Nigerian government to utilize. For example, throughout David West’s tenure, to a long extent, Jubril Aminu’s, our refineries worked. How did they make them work?

Why do we now import oil products? These are part of the reasons we cannot just dump or ignore experienced hands.
From the recent cabinet appointments, the portfolio of Abuja Federal territory solved one problem and persisted another. Umar Yar’Adua lost the opportunity to dispel public conception that Abuja Federal Ministry is the domain of a section of the country.
Abuja is not our first capital territory. Before Abuja was Lagos Affairs under Tafawa Balewa. The first Federal minister for Lagos affairs was Mohammadu Ribadu and when at independence in 1960, Ministry of Defence was created; Ribadu was moved to that portfolio, while Musa Yar’Adua (Umar Yar’Adua’s father) became his successor as Lagos Affairs minister.

Throughout First Republic, non-Lagosians occupied Lagos Affairs Ministry. The only southerner ever to hold Abuja Ministry since its creation in 1976 was Ajose Adeogun, under General Obasanjo.

No southerner since then ever held Abuja Ministry. Time there was when it seemed constitutionally impossible as Abuja appeared to have status of a state and only indigenes could be Abuja minister.
Now, a non-indigene, Senator Aliero (ex-governor of Kebbi State) is the new Abuja Minister. Should a new minister for Abuja be necessary next time, there can no longer be any excuse to appoint another northerner.