THE NORTH REMEMBERS

With the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari, the North has finally remembered they were born to lead or rather rule Nigeria. A sneak peak at his appointments so far tells the story:

Geopolitical Zones Representation.

source: Premium times

1. Aide de Camp to president: Lt. Col Abubakar Lawal, [Kano State, North-West and husband to President Buhari’s foster daughter].

2. Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the president: Femi Adesina, [Osun State, South-West].

3. Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity: Garba Shehu, [Kano State, North-West].

4. State Chief of Protocol/Special Assistant (Presidential Matters): Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure, [Jigawa State, North-West].

5. Accountant General of the Federation: Ahmed Idris [Kano State, North-West].

6. National Security Adviser: Babagana Monguno [Borno State, North-East].

7. Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonishakin, [Ekiti State, South-West].

8. Chief of Army Staff: Tukur Buratai, [Borno State, North-East].

9. Chief of Naval Staff: Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, [Cross Rivers, South-South].

10. Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, [Bauchi State, North-East].

11. Chief of Defence Intelligence: Monday Riku Morgan [Benue State, North-Central].

12. Director General, State Security Services, SSS: Lawal Daura, [Katsina State, North-West].

13. Acting Chairperson, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Amina Zakari, [Jigawa State, North-West].

14. Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA: Habibu Abdulahi [Kano State, North-West].

15. Special Adviser, Niger Delta Amnesty Office: Paul Boroh, [Bayelsa State, South-South]

16. Acting Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration, Safety and Security Agency, NIMASA: Baba Haruna Jauro [Yobe State, North-East].

17. Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission: Umaru Dambatta [Kano State, North-West].

18. Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS: Babatunde Fowler, [Lagos State, South-West].

19. Director General, Budget Office of the Federation: Aliyu Gusau, [Zamfara State, North-West].

20. Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Emmanuel Kachikwu, [Delta State, South-South].

21. Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, [ Adamawa, North East]

22. Chief of Staff to the President: Abba Kyari, [Borno, North-East].

23. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service: Hameed Ibrahim Ali, [Kaduna State, North-Central].

24. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service: Kure Martin Abeshi, [Nasarawa State, North-Central].

25. Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate): Ita Enang, [Akwa Ibom State, South-South].

26. Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives): Suleiman Kawu, [Kano State, North-West].

27. Director, Department Of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Modecai Baba Ladan. [Kano, North West].

28. Managing Director, Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, Ahmed Lawan Kuru. .

29. Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive of the National Insurance Commission, Mohammed Kari [North-West]

29. Executive Director AMCON: Kola Ayeye. 

30. Executive Director, AMCON: Eberechukwu Uneze. 

31. Executive Director, AMCON: Aminu Ismail. 

32. Group Executive Director, NNPC, Maikanti Baru. 

33. Group Executive Director, NNPC, Isiaka Abdulrazaq. 

34. Group Executive Director, NNPC: Dennis Nnamdi Ajulu. 

35. Group Executive Director, NNPC: Babatunde Victor Adeniran. 

The question which calls to mind is if Northerners are the only technocrats in Nigeria or are the Southerners undeserving of vital appointments? or maybe GMB is the President of Northern Nigeria and Northerners.

MOTION WITHOUT MOVEMENT OR INSTANTANEOUS SUCCESS

One month after the inauguration of the current President of Nigeria, mixed reactions have trailed his performance as the President of the country with the largest economy in Africa (on paper). While his political party claims that a month under his watch has been filled with instantaneous success, the opposition party claims otherwise.

It is important to note that the president has been operating as a sole administrator (without a minister, chief of staff or other important assistants).

The indices of Buhari's success according to his party - APC are:

1. That Buhari has started making strategic moves to crush the Boko Haram insurgency by meeting and discussing strategies with neighbouring countries, and also instituting a joint military operation.
2. The USA and other countries of the west who deserted Nigeria are now offering help to the new found messiah of Nigeria.
3. The President has been working hard to plug holes, leakages and other fraudulent acts of public servants and institutions that have been embezzling funds meant for the development of the Country.
4. The President has been cleaning the mess of PDP.

The claims of failure by the opposition party - PDP is premised on the different electoral promises which the President made, yet has seemingly left them unfulfilled. One of such promises (as claimed by the PDP) is that the President promised to name the key members of his cabinet two weeks upon assumption of office.

As citizens, its better for us to leave the intrigues of politics which the ruling party and opposition party are playing and ask ourselves is it motion without movement or instantaneous success; for it is better for us to assess as citizens than to allow politicians define the situation of things in the country. Although it seems too early to start passing judgements or assessments on the new government.

On the side, what happened to the roads and drainages in Lagos which the APC were touting as a model for other states? for the rains are here, and its really affecting the populace of Lagos.