May 27, 2008
Afenifere had in February 2008 warned the nation of
the increasing northernisation of power by President
Umaru Yar’Adua in a country that is supposed to be a
Federal Republic.
We observed that Yar’Adua had selected most of his key
aides from the North and that has created fears about
the possible absence of national perspective from the
president’s inner council.
We pointed out that the patterns of appointment
created a situation where the Joint Intelligence
Board, which coordinates information sharing between
the security agencies would meet and there may not be
a non-northern face. On the economic front, the
Ministers for National Planning and Finance would sit
with the Chief Economic Adviser to develop policy for
the whole country and they are all from the North.
We concluded that the situation was a throwback to the
military days when northern officials stocked their
inner teams with fellow northerners.
We had thought that the President would be moved to
consider our observation and ensure that the Federal
Character principle enshrined in the Constitution
prevails. But alas, the pattern of further
appointments since then has shown that there is a
deliberate attempt to northernise power. Like the
witch lady who continues to give birth to female
children, the President has continued to load his
appointments with northerners that we can say without
equivocation on his first anniversary that we have a
Federal Government of the North!
The latest of such appointments have been the
replacement of the President’s National Assembly
Liaison, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa with Senator Aba
Aji, NTA’s Director General Toni Iredia with Usman
Magawata, EFCC’s Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde with
Farida Waziri, and Customs Comptroller-General, Gyang
Buba with Mr. Hamman Ahmed.Ahmed is an Assistant
Comptroller with three Southern Deputy Comptrollers
from the South ahead of him.
BEHOLD FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTH (F.G.N)!
Office Incumbent State of Origin
President Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua Katsina
Senate President Senator David Mark Benue
Chief Justice Justice Legbo Kutigi Niger
SFG Amabassador Babagana Kingibe Borno
Energy & Power Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua Katsina
Chief of Staff General Abdullahi Mohammed Kwara
Minister of Finance Dr. Shamsudeen Bello Kano
Minister of Defence Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Bauchi
Minister of National Planning Sanusi Daggash Borno
Chief Economic Adviser Tanimu Kurfi Katsina
DG SSS Afas Gadzama Yobe
Accountant General Ibrahim Dankwabo North
Controller General Customs Hamman Ahmed Adamawa
Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa Borno
EFCC Farida Waziri North
NTA DG Usman Magawata Sokoto
National Assembly Liaison Senator Aba Aji North
NNPC Group MD Engr. Abubakar Yar’Adua North
Police Reforms Panel Alhaji M.D. Yusuf Katsina
Energy Council Rilwan Lukman Kaduna
Electoral Reforms Justice M.Uwais Katsina
These are speculations that Alhaji Bello Sulaiman
would be reappointed as GMD of PHCN while another
Northerner may replace CBN Governor, Charles Soludo
soon!
But no dividends!
Apologists Yar’Adua may want to say that governance is
about sourcing for the best hands no matter their
origin. But even the evil one in Otta, Olusegun
Obasanjo in spite of his many vices could not be
accused of finding the best hands among only the
Yoruba in his eight years in office. The truth really
is that the Yoruba were wondering if they didn’t have
people like El-Rufais, Ribadus, Nenadi Usmans etc from
the North and the Akinyulis, Soludos, Okonjo Iwealas,
Ezekwezilis etc from the East.
Like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that through
crooked means hijacked power in nearly everywhere in
Nigeria but has not been able to govern, what has this
team of sectional “best hands” delivered in one year?
The last one year has been that of inertia, lack of
focus, policy reversals, ruse of law, underdevelopment
and breakdown in governance.
While campaigning in 2007, President Yar’Adua promised
to declare emergency in power and energy within 100
days, one year after that remains a threat and the
nation has only enjoyed more darkness, adulterated
fuel and hundreds of deaths in pipeline explosions.
One year after the prices of food items have gone
beyond the reach of the people that those on minimum
wage have to log two months salaries to buy a bag of
rice.
The much advertised “rule of law” mantra is daily
proving to be a ruse as it has served mainly the
interest of those of patrons of corruption. In one
year of Yar’Adua we are having the third person in the
saddle of EFCC all in an attempt to pacify corrupt
people who brought the regime to power. Nigerians are
wondering why Lamorde had to be hurriedly replaced
with Acting Chairman, Farida Waziri by the “rule of
law” regime. All that is filtering out is that Lamorde
was about to charge more of the Ex-Governors and the
owner of Societe Generale Bank when corruption moved
and gave a nominee to head the EFCC. It would not
shock them if tomorrow they hear that one of the
ex-Governors charged by Ribadu has been appointed as
the Head of the EFCC.
Those charged with mind-boggling financial crimes now
stroll in and out of the villa with interview sessions
to offer opinions on the way forward after sessions
with Mr. President.
Virtually all infrastructures have gone from bad to
worse. There are no roads anywhere as most state
Governors now charter planes for domestic trips. We
recently lost 46 soldiers in one road accident
recently, a daily figure of casualties that is
doubtful for any well equipped army at the war front
in recent times. Ironically these soldiers survived in
Darfur only to be claimed by the undeclared war going
on at home.
Our heath facilities have entered a state of comatose
that it is only those who have no other choice that go
to our hospitals now. If Sani Abacha were to be alive,
we would ask him to compare what we have today with
the “consulting clinics” of 1984.
To President Yar’Adua we say: Nigeria is dying and
needs urgent revival. It is time to get the best hands
across Nigeria to salvage the situation; it is no time
for irredentist and obscene sectional politics.
Yinka Odumakin
National Publicity Secretary
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