NASS election, Tinubu’s appointments and suspensions

A lot has happened in Nigeria in the last one week. Things are taking place at supersonic speed so much so that it’s becoming difficult to keep pace.  On June 13, the 10th National Assembly was inaugurated after the election of the presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives. There have also been suspensions of some powerful ‘bigwigs’ among them being the Central Bank of Nigeria’s governor, Godwin Emefiele and the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa. On June 19, a major shakeup took place in Nigeria’s security and defence sector as the service chiefs, Inspector-General of Police, the Comptroller General of Customs and leadership of some intelligence commands were sacked by President Bola Tinubu. He also approved the immediate dissolution of the governing boards of all Federal Government parastatals, agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies. The dissolution does not, however, affect boards, commissions and councils listed in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered.

Ahead of the inauguration of 10th National Assembly last week Tuesday, there was a lot of political intrigue. The ruling All Progressives Congress and Tinubu had handpicked their preferred candidates for the four positions of the President of the Senate, Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker of House of Representatives and the Deputy Speaker. However, there were those who disagreed with the party leadership and decided to put themselves forward for election. I was among those who faulted the party position given the fact that the position of the Speaker and Deputy President of the Senate was zoned to the North-West while the North-Central was left in the lurch despite the fact that the political zone gave enormous votes to the new President.

President Tinubu won in four out of the six states outrightly namely Kwara, Kogi, Benue and Niger states though he lost in Nasarawa and Plateau States as well as Federal Capital Territory. Anyway, it has been said that the appointment of ex-governor, senator and minister, George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, was believed to be compensation to the North-Central zone.

The election of the presiding officers of the 10th NASS was tension soaked. There were flamboyant campaigns. Meetings upon meetings, lobbying, name calling and insinuation of financial inducements rent the air. Tinubu left nothing to chance. He set up a technical committee led by Senator Hope Uzodinma, the incumbent governor of Imo State to ensure that his preferred choices emerged victorious. Senator Ali Ndume, leader of the Stability Group in the Senate also said that the president mandated him to ensure victory for former governor, senator and minister, Godswill Akpabio. We learnt that both the president and his vice, Kashim Shettima had sleepless nights pressuring some of the aspirants for the Speakership and Senate President to drop their ambition and support the party’s preferred choices. While they succeeded with some, others insisted on going for the contest. Thus, Senator AbdulAziz Yari squared up with Akpabio for the position of the president of the Senate while Dr. Tajudeen Abass contested with Idris Wase, the immediate past Deputy Speaker and Aminu Jaji. At the end of the contests Akpabio defeated Yari 63 to 46 votes while Abass scored 353 votes leaving Jaji and Wase with three votes apiece.

While the House of Representatives chose an open ballot system where each member was called to announce his or her preferred candidate, the Senate chose a secret ballot. It was learnt that some senators arrived at the chamber as early as 4am. Interestingly, for Senator Jibrin Barau and Benjamin Kalu, they both emerged unopposed for the positions of Deputy President of the Senate and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. What is now left is for the emergence of principal officers namely majority leader and deputy majority leader, chief whip and deputy chief whip as well as minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority chief whip and deputy minority chief whip. The various House and Senate standing and ad-hoc committees have yet to be constituted.

With the election and inauguration of the president and vice president as well as the presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives, the three arms of government have more or less been constituted. This is because the head of the judiciary, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, had already been appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Unlike in other climes like the US where some of the judges are elected into offices, in Nigeria, they are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council subject to the Senate’s screening and confirmation.

While Nigerians wait for the ministerial list of President Tinubu who mandatorily has to constitute his cabinet within 60 days, the President had filled about 12 out of the 20 slots approved by the 9th Senate for him for special advisers. Last Thursday, June 15, Tinubu appointed eight special advisers namely: Mr Dele Alake; Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications and Strategy; Mr Yau Darazo; Special Adviser, Political and Intergovernmental Affairs; Mr Wale Edun; Special Adviser, Monetary Policies; Mrs. Olu Verheijen; Special Adviser, Energy and Mr Zachaeus Adedeji; Special Adviser, Revenue.

 

 

Others are   Mr Nuhu Ribadu; Special Adviser, Security who last Monday has been upgraded to National Security Adviser, Mr John Uwajumogu; Special Adviser, Industry, Trade and Investment and Dr (Mrs.) Salma Ibrahim Anas; Special Adviser, Health. Last Monday, the President appointed four additional aides. Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musawa, Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy, Senator Abdullahi Gumel; Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Barrister Olarewaju Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).

The new service chiefs appointed are: Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff; DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence. Adeniyi Bashir Adewale was appointed as the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs. These appointments have been lauded for reflecting federal character and competence.

While I agree that Godwin Emefiele should be relieved of his exalted position as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, I would have loved a tidier arrangement than suspension. He should have been outrightly sacked with the approval of two-third majority of the Senate as specified in Section 11 (f) the CBN Act 2007, as amended.  By the way, Section 6 (2) of the CBN Act says there shall be a Board which shall consist of the following: (a) a Governor who shall be the Chairman; (b) four Deputy Governors; (c) the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance; (d) five Directors; and (e) Accountant-General of the Federation. Where were these Board members when Emefiele was acting in excess of his power and bringing the apex bank to public opprobrium? Did the National Assembly committees do a proper oversight of the institution when it threw the country into economic quagmire with its ill-advised naira redesign policy? Emefiele should not be made a fall guy or scapegoat. His collaborators should likewise be fished out, investigated and prosecuted, if need be.

I am particularly worried about the suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa as EFCC chairman. It will seem like that seat is accursed. How could an organisation meant to fight economic crime not have a stable leadership? All past leaders of EFCC have been removed in controversial circumstances without any of them completing their tenure. It started with Nuhu Ribadu followed by Ibrahim Lamorde. Then came Farida Waziri, Ibrahim Magu and now Bawa. Incidentally, none of them have been successfully prosecuted in court for any crime after their orchestrated removal. This is worrisome. It will seem that there is too much executive interference in EFCC unlike the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission which has enjoyed leadership stability.

I wish the new National Assembly presiding officers and other presidential appointees best of luck in their elevated and exalted positions. However, they need to remember that their new positions are privileges and not rights. Their betters are not so lucky to be elected or appointed. So, they should roll up their sleeves and work for the betterment of Nigeria. It is not their turn to engage in primitive accumulation of wealth but a time to impact their world positively by being role models in good governance.