Nepotism in political appointments

From North to South, we find this phenomenon, which is creating disaffection among politicians. For instance, in Kogi State, though Governor Ibrahim Idris did not contest any election, he ensured that his son, Mohammed Ibrahim Idris, obtained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) ticket for the House of Representatives. Under controversial circumstances, and all thanks to […]

From North to South, we find this phenomenon, which is creating disaffection among politicians. For instance, in Kogi State, though Governor Ibrahim Idris did not contest any election, he ensured that his son, Mohammed Ibrahim Idris, obtained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) ticket for the House of Representatives. Under controversial circumstances, and all thanks to his father, the governor’s son is now a House of Representatives member-elect. In like manner, for senatorial positions in Kogi East, Kogi Central and Kogi West, the governor imposed his own candidates on the people. In Kogi West, however, he failed, and that’s why Senator Smart Adeyemi is now a senator-elect from that senatorial district. Even when it comes to the appointment of ministers, there are complaints already that the governor is deciding everything, putting forward the name of Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho as a favourite from Kogi State, in disregard to other PDP members who are most experienced and better qualified in the state to deliver services to the nation.

Also in Borno State, the outgoing Governor Modu Sheriff, against all odds in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), has installed his own crony as governor. Alhaji Kashim Shettima, has been in Governor Sheriff’s cabinet over the years, and his nomination and election as governor cannot be said to be the will of the people. There are even complaints by the opposition PDP that the election was not free and fair. In the federal cabinet that is coming to an end on May 29, Sheriff has a sister-in-law, the current Minister of State for Finance, Yabawa Wabi, who is his wife’s sister.  There is also the Permanent Secretary in Borno Civil Service, Hajiya Maryam Bubar Abba Ibrahim, who is a close family member of the Sheriff’s. The ANPP chairman in Borno State is the governor’s father, and the late Fannami Gubio, the assassinated ANPP gubernatorial candidate was the governor’s cousin.

Then, there is the classical case in Kwara State in which Dr Olusola Saraki was in control of all political positions and cut from the pie for those who pleased his heart. At the height of it, his son, Dr Bukola Saraki has been governor since 2003; his daughter Gbemisola Saraki has been senator since 2003 and several top political positions in the state were held by his cronies. If his son, Bukola had not struck, we would have witnessed a situation in which Gbemisola and Governor Bukola would swarp positions as senator and governor. As it stands, the governor is now a godfather, having successfully put his commissioner and apologist, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, as his successor, while he moved to the Senate. Therefore, those who would make the ministerial list from Kwara State would be Governor Bukola’s cronies.

It is the same story in a place like Ogun State, where a face-off between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Gbenga Daniel, led to a disaster that led to the defeat of the PDP by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In that state, the former President’s daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello was imposed on the PDP as senatorial candidate, but she lost. Again, Obasanjo’s anointed governorship candidate, Chief Adetunji Olurin, lost at the polls. The examples are there everywhere.

The story is not different in Gombe State, where the outgoing governor, Alhaji Danjuma Goje is sharing the positions, first to himself and then to his cronies. As the governor is ending his second term in the state, he has tasted all the apples. From the grapevine, it was said he attempted to contest the PDP presidential primary, until it became too hot a race. But he got the senatorial ticket and won narrowly at the polls. There is anger in the PDP in the state because in the last elections, only those he approved got the PDP’s tickets, and those who are conversant with Gombe politics know that the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC’s) success in the state was like a revolt against Governor Goje’s impositions. Even the House of Representatives seat of Deputy Speaker Bayero Nafada, which the governor gave to another candidate, was lost to the CPC. At the end, only one PDP lawmaker is returning to the House of Representatives.

At the federal level, Governor Goje  is one of those in the hot race for Senate Presidency. It is also speculated that he wants to become the party’s National Chairman next year, now that the PDP has zoned the position to the North-East. Alhaji Goje is not only fighting for himself, he is also deciding the fate of politicians in Gombe State. For instance, he is believed to be instrumental to the election of Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, a former Accountant-General of the Federation, as governor of Gombe State. Then, for the ministerial slot of the state, he is believed to have submitted the name of Alhaji Dasuki Jalo Waziri, who is married to his daughter. He had attempted to give the PDP’s gubernatorial ticket to Waziri, but for the objection by party leaders in the state. The question is, what about other politicians who have worked for the PDP in Gombe State? At the moment in the state, the PDP is fragmented as it is now being perceived as an ignominious party.

No doubt, this greed by political godfathers creates enormous bad blood in the country. Many technocrats who could deliver the goods as ministers are left out, even if they are politicians, because they do not have family relationships with the godfathers. As the ruling party and President Goodluck Jonathan consider the ministerial list, he should carefully vet those who are being suggested to him for positions. If they are made up of sons, daughters, in-laws and cronies of godfathers, then we are sure that they will not perform their duties wholeheartedly. They would only be working in the interest of those who sent them to the positions instead of working for the nation. And it will be unfortunate.

Abdullahi wrote this piece from Abuja, FCT