BY GODWIN OBI
Leaders of some socio-cultural organisations in the country yesterday assessed President Tinubu’s ministerial nominees, describing the list of the proposed cabinet members as comprising a mixture of the good and the bad. The groups noted that some of the nominees were sound and worthy of their nominations, while adding that some were full of excess baggage and should not have made the list.
Coordinator of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, noted that some of the nominees were intellectually sound and would contribute positively to the development of the country, adding that some of the names were recognised internationally in their various fields and would do well in the ministries they would be assigned to. Charanchi also noted that some of the nominees had excess political baggage and might add little value to the development of the country.
“We don’t want to be condemning things like this; we are hoping that for the time being that the country would be better and people would come to realise the detrimental effect that the country has suffered years back. We do hope that whenever somebody gets opportunity to contribute his quota towards the development of the country it is a great virtue,” Charanchi said.
“The issue is that the ministries that would be assigned to those of them with excess baggage would be dead on their arrival. This is so because they cannot contribute anything as they don’t care about the country. What they care about is how to promote their political interest, and so can only contribute negatively to the development of the country. Those that are good can make things happen to develop the country.” The President of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, while congratulating the nominees, pointed out that those that made the list would contribute positively to Nigeria’s development.
He said: “I believe President Bola Tinubu will send the rest of the list within the shortest possible time so that they can start work immediately. I wish them well. They have been lucky by God’s grace to be made ministers and I believe they would contribute to the growth of the nation.” President of Middle Belt Forum, (MBF), Dr. Bitrus Pogu, however said there were names that should not have been among the nominees, notably former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.
His words: “Yes, there are some characters there that are going to be opposed, like the former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-rufai, who said they were going to take over for Islam. When the president gives appointment to such characters, it just indicates that his own thinking and that of the person are the same. It is not good for Nigeria and the insensitivity there is not accepted by any sane and developed society.”
“I don’t think that people would accept such a person. Let’s wait and see, but I’m not enthusiastic over what the president has done with regards to his appointments. If he remains the president after the court judgement, then we know how to approach the issue to ensure that such people don’t remain in office,” Pogu said.
In his reaction, Secretary-General of Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Oladipo Oyewole, hailed the list as a combination of some of the best and brightest minds in Nigeria, saying the council believes that the technocrats among the nominees would form a formidable team with Tinubu to move Nigeria to greater heights.
He described Tinubu as a forward-thinking President who focuses on correcting long-standing issues facing the country. He stated that while the Nigerian public might be experiencing some hardship presently, the stage for socio-political and economic prosperity is being set.
“I urge Nigerians to bear the pain for a while. The time of prosperity is coming. The ministerial list is not yet concluded. Let us trust the managerial ability of President Tinubu,” he stated.
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