Analyst Expresses Concern Over Repeated Appointment of Former Governors as Ministers, Says It’s A Worrisome Trend

Concerns Over Ex-Governors’ Appointments By Successive Presidents

Baba Yusuf, a strategist and policy analyst, has raised a worrying observation about the recurring pattern of appointing former governors as ministers in successive governments since the restoration of democracy in 1999.

Yusuf is particularly troubled by the significant inclusion of ex-governors in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, especially when considering the questionable track records of some of these individuals.

He remarked, “Based on the outcomes of the ministerial nominations, it is highly probable that this administration might once again be influenced by a combination of ex-governors, former and current ministers, which could overshadow its performance.”

This concern stems from the fact that there has been a consistent practice of appointing former governors to ministerial roles in Nigerian governments since the inception of democracy. This trend, according to Yusuf, is disconcerting.

It has been noted that over the course of successive governments starting from former President Olusegun Obasanjo‘s tenure up to the current administration of Muhammadu Buhari, no fewer than 24 ex-governors have been selected to serve as ministers.

Most recently, President Bola Tinubu has chosen to include nine former governors in his proposed cabinet.

This practice of appointing ex-governors dates back to the restoration of democracy in 1999 when former President Obasanjo appointed Rabiu Kwankwaso and Cornelius Adebayo as ministers. Subsequent administrations followed a similar pattern, with ex-governors like Achike Udenwa, Sam Egwu, Adamu Aliero, and more serving in ministerial positions.

Under President Buhari’s leadership, ten ministers who were former governors were appointed to his cabinet.

This trend has continued with President Tinubu’s nomination of nine former governors out of 48 names submitted for ministerial screening by the National Assembly.

Yusuf expressed his concerns further, stating, “The likely implication of this is that I fear for the scenario of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to manifest yet again, whereby powerful power blocks within the kitchen cabinet of the former president were influencing policy decisions and directions, which was negatively impacting on the socio-economic wellbeing of Nigeria.

“From all indications, the power blocks were more for their parochial interests than the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. Indeed, the outcome of the list is also a manifestation of how powerful governors are and fast becoming in the polity of Nigeria.

“The question is, how positively impactful will former governors, who have added less than zero value to the socio-economic development of their respective states, be to impact positively during the administration of Tinubu, who holds the reins of power in the most critical times in the history of Nigeria since the Civil War of the 1964?

“The concerns of people like me are how somebody can give what he does not have. Although some of these governors stand out in terms of performance and how they impacted on the people of their states, but it is also goes without saying that a lot of them did not leave anything much to be desired during their tenures as governors.

“I worry for Nigeria if this is the way we are going to go. Mr. President must take proactive steps to put everybody in the Federal Executive Council on their toes to ensure delivery of good governance, and those that will not deliver should be shown the way out if at all possible.”…[CONTINUE READING HERE]>>