PRESIDENT Muhammadu
Buhari’s assignment of portfolios to the ministers, who resumed duties,
yesterday, elicited mixed views in the polity. While some hailed the
distribution of the ministries among the component parts of the country
and expressed optimism that the team would drive the president’s change
agenda, others thought otherwise.
Indeed, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
took a swipe at President Buhari, saying the portfolios given to some
of the ministers did not in any way inspire confidence that the All
Progressives Congress, APC-led government wants to pursue change.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa
Metuh, the PDP, however, urged the ministers to urgently settle down for
business and concentrate on the economy.
According to PDP, the present administration has so far played
heavily on what it termed, dramatizing routine procedures and processes,
which was even glaring in the prolonged swearing-in ceremony of the
ministers.
Metuh said, “The much-expected assignment of portfolios to the
ministers did not inspire confidence that there is indeed any change
being introduced in the system. With the inauguration, the APC
administration should fully resolve the issues on the actual position of
the nation’s economy and the direction therein.
“Whereas President Muhammadu Buhari had announced that the nation is
bankrupt to the extent he cannot pay his ministers, his new Minister of
Information had contradicted him directly by stating how the government
is buoyant and ready to deploy $2.5 billion infrastructure fund, saved
N1.4 trillion with another N2.5 trillion ready as special intervention
fund, which goes to say that the country is not actually broke.
“These new ministers should note the challenge before them regarding
the image of the country which the APC government has changed from being
the ‘Heart of Africa’ and a country of ‘Good people, Great nation’ to
that of ‘Corrupt people, Broke nation’.
“Furthermore, we counsel the ministers, especially those who will be
the face of the government, to note that the campaigns are over.
Nigerians, therefore, will no longer condone propaganda, lies and deceit
but expect a responsible dissemination based on truth, honesty and
openness”.
Concentrate on Power transmission, Barth Nnaji urges Fashola
Also yesterday, former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji,
urged the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, to
concentrate on transmission process of the power sector because of its
constraints.
Speaking to journalists shortly after he appeared before the Senate
Ad-Hoc Committee on Power, Professor Nnaji said: “I know that Fashola is
an excellent administrator and manager. I can imagine what Lagos State
used to be like before he became governor and what it is now. It comes
with dedication and that is what we need in this country.”
Buhari fair to South-East —Egolum
A former chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, Chief Chuba
Egolum, okayed President Buhari’s handling of the ministerial
appointments and distribution of portfolios and disagreed with those who
said that the South-East has been short-changed.
His words: “Devoid of sentiments, Igbo didn’t get it right in the
last election. Our strategy was wrong. We put all our eggs in one
basket. I won’t join the bandwagon of those complaining about the
appointment. Those who expect juicy political appointments for the
South-East have misplaced expectations. What did the South-East do
towards the election of President Buhari? If he gave us juicy
appointments what about those who worked for his election? Appointment
is the exclusive preserve of the President. We can fight for even spread
of projects not appointments.’’
Speaking in like manner, the Ndigbo Cultural Society of Nigeria
(NCSN) congratulated President Buhari for appointing Ndigbo with worthy
ministerial portfolios which compliment the appointments of Federal
Permanent Secretaries.
NCSN President, Chief Udoka Udeogaranya, in a statement said “these
recent conducts by President Buhari indicated that the president is
beginning to re-write himself from an earlier posture of sectionalism
into a worthy national posture.”
Fayose tasks Fayemi on Ekiti
Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has congratulated
former governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, over his appointment as
Minister of Solid Mineral, urging him to use his position for the
commercial exploitation of the abundant solid mineral resources in the
state.
The governor in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his Special
Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said
President Buhari must have considered the need for commercial
exploitation of the solid minerals spread across towns and villages in
Ekiti State before arriving at the choice of Fayemi as Solid Minerals
minister.
Fayose spoke as Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, erupted in celebration over Fayemi’s new position.
As early as 8 am, live bands were stationed at the APC secretariat
along Ajilosun Street as party members and supporters trooped in,
waiting for the inauguration and allocation of portfolio to the former
governor.
Crowd of supporters at the secretariat spilled over to the main road
along the busy Akure-Ado Ekiti road as they went into jubilation when
news broke that Fayemi had been named the Minister of Solid Minerals,
the sector the President has marked out as the second golden egg of the
nation’s economy after oil.
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