Nigerians Poke Buhari, Say He Tabled “Ministerial Compensation” List

Mixed reactions, yesterday, trailed the formal unveiling of the ministerial list sent to the Senate last week by President Muhammadu Buhari.

On the list of 21 nominees whose names were read out at the plenary session of the Senate are former governors, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Mr. Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Mr. Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Senator Chris Ngige (Anambra) and a bigwig of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi), who was a former governor of the old Abia State.

Others who made the cabinet are former Minister of Communication, Chief Audu Ogbe (Benue); APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Kwara); former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abubakar Dambazau (Kano); Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu (Delta) and former National Legal Adviser of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Ahaji Abubakar Malami (Kebbi).

Mr. Solomom Dalong (Plateau), Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary General, Mrs. Amina Ibrahim Mohammed (Kaduna); Dr. Osagie Ehanire (Edo), APC governorship candidate in Taraba State, Senator Aisha Alhassan (Taraba); CPC governorship candidate in Oyo State in the 2007 election, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu (Oyo), Alhaji Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa) and former Ogun State Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun (Ogun) are also on the list. In addition, Ahmed Isa Ibeto (Niger), Ibrahim Usman Jubril, Senator Hadi Sirika (Katsina) and Senator Udoma Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom) are on the list.

The Senate will on Tuesday begin screening the 21 ministerial nominees with a view to approving their nominations as members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Yesterday’s announcement of the ministerial list ended a week of speculation on the names of the nominees, especially in the wake of last Thursday report by the media in which some names were mentioned as being on the list.

Coincidentally, nearly all the names paraded by the media last week, following the refusal of the presidency and the Senate to make public the ministerial nominees, featured in the list, which Saraki read to senators.

Shortly after he read the names of the list, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators protested.

Some of the reactions:
Am disappointed – Balarabe Musa, Former Kaduna Governor
Why did it take the President four months to come up with these names? I believe this is the question that many informed Nigerians should ask. These are the same old names, ordinary Nigerians who the President knows and he must have even met them several times. So, what is particular about them that he wasted so much time in appointing them ministers? But there are about two or three who I can say are distinguished among them like, Audu Ogbeh who I have known for a very long time.”

It’s a ‘ministerial compensation list’    – Daniel Alabrah, Abuja
There is no better way to describe, it as a ‘Ministerial Compensation List.’And to think that it took him a whole four months to pick the nominees. Many Nigerians are disappointed about this list and they are expressing their frustration already. Maybe we should expect the real change when he releases the second batch of nominees.

Recycling continues – Okoro Vincent, Lagos
BUKOLA Saraki’s father was among the senators that screened Audu Ogbeh in 1979. Bukola should be in secondary school then. Bukola will preside over Audu Ogbeh’s screening again in 2015. Nigerian youths are, indeed, leaders of tomorrow, the endless cycle of recycling continues to drag the country back retrogressively and the bulk of the votes comes from the youths.

It’s unfortunate  – Austin Emy, student
IT was rather unfortunate and shameful. After Buhari has wasted four months, in searching for noisemakers in APC, these are the names, he can come up with. He should still continue to be a sole administrator. Senators should reject all these past governors who are corrupt. They are not worthy to hold any public office. Total display of incompetency and lack governance. What a shame for APC.

They are ‘noisemakers’ – Obawusi Obafemi, Lagos
SO these are the saints we have been waiting for, more than hun- dred days after inauguration? God please help Nigeria! List of Buhari’s noisemakers is out at last. Almost all of them were one time PDP member. Change has come to Nigeria. He said ministers are noisemakers.