President Buhari, Reshuffle Your Cabinet

IGBOELI ARINZE

 

As President Buhari seeks to consolidate on the numerous acheivements of his administration this year,  there are a number of persons who believe that there is need for a cabinet reshuffle this year in order to rejig and refresh the administration.

On a number occasions, grapevine had it that the President was indeed preparing to reshuffle his cabinet, which to be candid hasn’t being as vibrant as expected when the names were announced in September, 2015.

A cabinet reshuffle by Buhari could see a number of ministers change portfolios or lose them out rightly, they would then be replaced with new hands.

President Buhari would however have to be deft should he consider or effect such change,  yes, patriotism and the need for better hands to help deliver on the change agenda is indeed vicariously paramount but politics doesn’t operate that way: Elections are underway,  and the president will need wheeler dealers, if he intends to win the 2019 elections.

It is thus important to say that though it might have been Buhari’s  decision to shake up his team, perhaps the disagreements from his inner circle about how sensible such a move would appear to be may have tied the president’s hands.

Some of those around the president may have pressed for caution because of the backlash it may bring about. Also, the internal rumblings within the ruling party at the various state levels and at the center will definitely not help the party at this stage.

As a supporter of President Buhari and one who wishes that he succeeds, I am forced not to agree with the “refusiniks” that there is indeed no need for a reshuffle.Firstly, there is need for new energy in this administration, and those who seem not to have performed beyond expectations ought to be shown the way out. Whatever backlash that may arise from such a reshuffle can be contained but a failure to meet the needs of millions of Nigerians will never be mitigated, it may also cost the president some votes in the 2019 elections.

Secondly,  a cabinet reshuffle will demonstrate to Nigerians and the world that the president is still in charge and not some cabal as is speculated. Using his prerogative to hire and fire ministers to help him run the country, the president would be sending an unambiguous message to all his appointees “Shape up or I (Buhari) will ship you out”
Also, as a country with great human resources, a change in cabinet will also go a long way to showing that the All Progressives Congress has a huge depth of talent, a few tweaks here or there will bring in a number of square pegs to fill up the square holes.

This reshuffle will purge his cabinet of lethargic elements, embracing creative thinkers. For example, a person like Professor Pat Utomi should be given a chance to help the Nigerian government get it’s economic acts together: Yes the country is out of recession but how do we achieve speedy economic growth and development of say 7% in the next  two years?  What about the likes of Sam Nda Isaiah,  Julius Ihonvbere,  Bimbo Kolade,  Umar Duhu, brilliant Nigerians and devoted party men.

Also a number of ministers have been scathed by a number of  their actions as well as inactions, such persons haven brought such embarrasments to the government ought to have resigned or shown the way out.  With Nigerians still seething over such scandals,  a cabinet reshuffle will show that this government cannot afford to tolerate any forms of impunity.

Besides these reasons, a number of these ministers are reportedly eyeing elective positions in the forthcoming general elections, these fellows have devoted more time to politicking than facing squarely their jobs,  thus disengaging them now would give them the much needed time to politick rather than cause unneeded disaffection with teeming Nigerians who are still waiting for the  Buhari administration to firmly deliver.

There are also a number or rebels within the cabinet,  one Minister at a point in time was alleged to have preferred another captain whilst operating in the Buhari’s cabinet. We all know that loyalty is key in the business of governance,  there should be no room for disloyal ministers as in this case even the preferred captain has found his way back to his vomit in the PDP.

In summarising, a cabinet reshuffle if properly handled will send a signal to naysayers and the opposition that the ‘ Change Agenda’ will not be slaughtered on the altar of cronyism like we witnessed in the Jonathan era,  where under-performing ministers were courted,  while the performing ministers were shown the way out.

The Anambra Central Senatorial Conundrum

For the past two years now,  the Anambra Central Senatorial seat has been empty owing to a number of legal jousting between a number of interested parties.

Recently, the coast seemed clear, as an Appeal Court ruling had directed INEC to conduct the elections  but a last minute court ruling by Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja declared that the Senate should swear in Obiora Okonkwo of the People’s Democratic Party,  PDP as the Senator representing the zone.

This has led Victor Umeh, a key contestant in the race and his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance to fight back denouncing the judgement as a charade.

As at press time, the people of the zone are not sure if they would in any time soon be allowed to elect or have a representative in the red chambers.

A sad consequence owing to unhealthy political bickering !