Why states are yet to name commissioners

Such governors are relying on permanent secretaries and a few aides to run the affairs of their states.President Muhammadu Buhari is doing just that at the federal level for which he has come under heavy criticism.Daily Trust investigations have found out that there are at least 19 states without a cabinet. The gubernatorial elections held […]

Such governors are relying on permanent secretaries and a few aides to run the affairs of their states.
President Muhammadu Buhari is doing just that at the federal level for which he has come under heavy criticism.
Daily Trust investigations have found out that there are at least 19 states without a cabinet. The gubernatorial elections held on April 11 while the governors were inaugurated on May 29.
The governors’ spokesmen or their parties defended the delay saying they were restructuring the agencies of government to save money for development purposes.
Others said the governors were taking their time to source for capable hands to run the affairs of government efficiently.
However, critics have dismissed such arguments saying the governors were merely being sluggish, the same charge being levelled against the president.
States where commissioners have not been appointed are Lagos, Gombe, Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Adamawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto and Yobe.
Others are Cross River, Taraba, Oyo, Rivers, Plateau, Borno, Bauchi, Jigawa and Zamfara.
Kano, Benue, Akwa Ibom and Delta have since nominated commissioners and special advisers.
There were no elections in six states – Anambra, Edo, Kogi, Bayelsa, Osun and Ekiti. Elections are due to hold in the states soon. 
Lagos State
In Lagos, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is running the government in collaboration with his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello and the Chief of Staff, Mr. Olukunle Samuel.
A source in the All Progressives Congress (APC) who is close to the governor’s office told Daily Trust that it had taken Ambode some time to compile the list because of different interests.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Habib Aruna did not respond to the calls or text message to him on the issue by our correspondent.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of Labour Party in Lagos Kayode Ajulo has attributed the delay to what he called “strange bedfellow alliance” entered into by the ruling party.
“We are not surprised. The malady affecting the ruling party at the centre is still the same affecting it in Lagos,” Ajulo said.
Kaduna State
In Kaduna, Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, has not named his commissioners yet. The governor had reduced the number of ministries from 19 to 13 and sacked 20 out of over 40 permanent secretaries in the state.
A senior civil servant in the state said the inability of the governor to appoint commissioners had stalled major activities in the state “with nothing going on in all the ministries.”
However, a government official said the slowness in the appointment of commissioners was as result of the effort being made by the government to restructure the civil and public service.
Katsina State
In Katsina Governor Aminu Bello Masari last week made the first set of appointment of key officials like SSG, Chief of staff and Media aide alongside seven other senior Special Assistants. The governor had also sent a request of ten special Advisers which the assembly approved.
A top government official says already a team of stakeholders had begun reaching out in search for those believed to have worked for the party for appointment.
However, the chairman of National conscience Party (NCP) Abdulmumin Sani attributed the delay to lack of readiness and preparedness on the part of the APC saying that the governor has ample time since he won the election.
Gombe State
In Gombe State, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, who was reelected for another term of four years, has not appointed commissioners.
Since he appointed James Pisagih as the Acting Secretary to the State Government (SSG) a week after he was sworn in for second term, the governor has not made any influential appointment.
Cross River State
In Cross River State commissioners are expected to be appointed at end of July, Chief press secretary to the governor Mr Christian Ita told Daily Trust.
He said both the PDP leaders and the governor had met more than twice over the issue.
“As you know, Governor Ben Ayade is a party man.  He has again met with the PDP caucus in the state on the appointment of new commissioners,” he said.
Ita said selection of possible commissioners would be done at local government level.
Yobe State
In Yobe, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam retained two commissioners as Special Assistants while the acting Secretary to the State Government was confirmed substantive on July 13, 2015.
Since then, Gaidam has continued to use the permanent secretaries.
One of the permanent secretaries said the delay might not be unconnected with the reduction of ministries from 22 to 15 in order to ensure efficiency, cut waste and save money for more social services.
Sokoto State
In Sokoto, the spokesman of Tambuwal, Imam Imam who has been with his boss at the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia however didn’t respond to the message forwarded to his mail by our reporter in spite his acknowledgement of the receipt of the message.
Kwara State
In Kwara State, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is yet to reconstitute the cabinet which he dissolved in the twilight of his first tenure.
The governor has only made five appointments since assumption of office for the second term.
They included Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff, two media aides and a personal assistant on May 29.
Daily Trust reports that the state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) recently directed local government chapters of the party to submit nominations for appointment into the cabinet.
This has however generated controversy following disagreement on who to nominate.
When contacted, Special Assistant on Media and Communications to Governor Ahmed, Dr. Muideen Akorede said the appointments “are still under consideration”.
Kebbi State
The Chief of Staff to Kebbi State Governor Alh Suleiman Argungu said there is no way a government can appoint a commissioner without knowing the number of ministries it has.
“At the end of the tenure of each government, particularly if the transition is between different political parties and even when they are of the same political party, there used to be a transition committee of the outgoing government and incoming government.
“Unfortunately in Kebbi State, there was no transition up to the time of the inauguration of the new government.
“Therefore, a right thinking government will not just go into appointing commissioners without knowing what is in place especially as to the number of ministries to maintain,” he said.
The government has constituted a verification committee headed by deputy governor Samaila Dabai Yombe to verify the handing over note and to look at so many ministries that resembled each other and then advise government on decisions to take.
Adamawa State
Adamawa State governor, Muhammad Jibrilla said he was set to appoint commissioners as soon as the state lawmakers returned from recess on 27th July.
Yohanna Mathias, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor said the list was with the Clerk of the State House of Assembly.
A civil servant said absence of cabinet truncated government business.
“The earlier we get commissioners the better, things are not really smooth at the ministries”, he stated.
Plateau State
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State made his first set of appointments on June 1, 2015 –Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chief of Staff.
Criticism has trailed the delay in the appointment of commissioners.
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said towards the end of last month that Lalong was crawling in government because he lacked focus.
An associate of the governor, Ezekiel Gomos, told Daily Trust in an interview Wednesday that Lalong was on course.
“Lalong wants to know the true positions of the ministries and their areas of coverage before appointing commissioners as he wants to be able to give specific instructions when he eventually pick the commissioners,” Gomos said.
In his own response, the Director, Press and Public Affairs to Governor Lalong, Samuel Emmanuel Nanle, said the names of nominees were on the governor’s table and would soon be released.
Rivers State
Less than two weeks after he was sworn in as governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike appointed three commissioners, SA on media and secretary to the state government. The commissioners appointed were those of housing, justice and water resources. No other appointment has been made by the governor since then apart from the appointment of the members of the State’s civil service, local government, Judiciary and independent electoral  service commissions. 
Oyo State
In Oyo State, Governor Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi is yet to compose his cabinet barely two months after formally taking the oath of office for the second term.  He has only been operating since then with his Deputy, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo and the Permanent Secretaries.
Even though, the State House of Assembly has approved for him the appointment of 10 Special Advisers, the Governor is yet to make public the list of the would-be SAs.
A top official in the state chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), however anchored the development on the paucity of fund which the state government is currently grappling with.
Taraba State
In Taraba, Governor Darius Ishaku is yet to appoint his commissioners.
Although, Ishaku got approval from the state House of Assembly to appoint 25 Special Advisers but has only appointed two advisers so far.
Observers said the delay in appointing commissioners and advisers might not be unconnected with the financial predicament of the state.
But governor, Darius Ishaku yesterday said he was taking his time to choose best hands.
Borno State
Special Adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima on Media and Strategy, Isa Umar Gusau said the governor acknowledged the importance of putting in place an executive council and the process has since begun with the appointment of a new Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service, Chief of Staff and some aides including media and special duties.
Jigawa State
The Jigawa state All Progressive Congress (APC) Chairman, Alhaji Ado Sani Kiri yesterday said Governor Muhammad Abubakar Badaru will soon announce his commissioners having concluded the rationalisation of ministries among others.
Kiri said the process of selection of commissioners too have almost been concluded.
“I want to assure you that Governor Abubakar Badaru is on course. He is being meticulous in his decisions. First he set up a committee to rationalise ministries. They have concluded their assignment and recommended the reduction of ministries from 17 to 13 and parastatals and agencies from 87 to 66,” he said.
Bauchi State
Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar is yet to appoint commissioners because he is looking for reliable and competent people that can deliver Government programmes for the development of the State, his party has said.
State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives congress APC Alhaji Awwal Jallah stated this in a telephone interview with our correspondent yesterday.
 He said, “The reason for the delay was because the state is one of the state that has poor economy as inherited from the previous PDP administration with over three months backlog of salaries and over 125bn debt.

Additional reports from Hamza Idris (Maiduguri), Femi Akinola & Nurudeen Oyewole (Lagos), Misbahu Bashir (Kaduna), Habibu Umar Aminu (Katsina), Adamu Saleh (Gombe), Eyo Charles (Calabar), Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto), Abdullateef Aliyu (Ilorin), Garba Muhammad (Birnin Kebbi), Kabiru R. Anwar (Yola), OnimisiAlao (Jos), Victor Edozie (Port Harcourt), Dele Ogunyemi (Ibadan), Itodo Daniel Sule (Jalingo), Abdullahi Anako (Dutse), Ahmed Mohammed (Bauchi) and Hamisu Kabiru Matazu (Damaturu)