Since his resumption of office, President Bola Tinubu, the number one Nigerian citizen, has made a series of reversed appointments, raising questions about his administration’s decisiveness and effective planning.
There are concerns that the reversal of the new appointees should not be so because there are processes for appointment, and any nominee whose appointments were yet to be completed should not be made public.
According to Daily Trust, here are the reversed appointments under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu:
Maryam Shetty
Maryam Shetty, a ministerial nominee from Kano, had her appointment withdrawn after her name was submitted to the Senate for screening. She was all set for the screening and was waiting to be ushered in when she was informed that her name had been withdrawn.
This reversal raised eyebrows, especially since Shetty had already prepared for the screening and was ready to take on the role. The reasons behind the withdrawal of her appointment were not made clear.
Stella Okotete
Stella Okotete, the executive director of business development at the Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, had her ministerial confirmation withheld by the Senate. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, revealed that the confirmation was withheld due to pending security clearance.
Okotete’s appointment was one of three that were put on hold, sparking concerns about the thoroughness of the appointment process.
Nasir Elrufai
Nasir Elrufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, had his ministerial confirmation withheld. Elrufai had initially been reluctant to accept the ministerial position, citing his previous experience in the role 20 years prior. Despite this, he accepted the position and underwent screening, only to have his confirmation withheld.
The reasons behind the withholding of Elrufai’s confirmation were not made clear but the National Assembly cited security concerns.
Danladi Abubakar
Danladi Abubakar, a senator from Taraba State, had his ministerial confirmation withheld. There were reports that Abubakar’s nomination was withdrawn due to a Supreme Court ruling barring him from holding public office for 10 years.
However, Abubakar had refuted these claims during his screening by the Senate. Despite this, Abubakar’s confirmation was withheld, leaving his appointment status uncertain.
Imam Ibrahim Kashim
Imam Ibrahim Kashim was appointed chairman of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) but had his appointment cancelled less than a week later. The cancellation came after widespread criticism that Kashim, at 24, was too young and inexperienced for the role.
The government’s decision to cancel Kashim’s appointment was seen as a response to public pressure.
Danladi Umar and Mainasara Kogo
A controversy arose at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) when two individuals, Danladi Umar and Mainasara Kogo, claimed leadership of the tribunal. Umar had been heading the tribunal but was removed through a resolution of the National Assembly.
President Tinubu then appointed Kogo as the new chairman, but the process for Umar’s removal was faulted, leading to litigation. The situation remains unresolved, with both Umar and Kogo claiming leadership of the CCT.
Danfulani and SMDF
Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani was initially announced as the executive secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF). However, the government reversed itself on the appointment after Fatima Shinkafi, the incumbent executive secretary, insisted that her tenure had not expired.
The reversal highlights the importance of verifying the status of existing appointments before making new ones.
Chairman and Members of SEDC
Hon. Emeka Atuma was initially announced as chairman of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) board but was later replaced with Dr. Emeka Nworgu.
The three executive directors initially nominated were also replaced, and two additional executive directors were named.
Chairman and Members of NWDC
The list of members of the inaugural Governing Board of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) was modified after the initial appointment.
Ambassador Haruna Ginsau was replaced as chairman by Alh Lawal Samai’la Abdullahi, and two new members were appointed.
Tinubu’s Media Team
Daniel Bwala was appointed as the Special Adviser for Media and Public Communication, but his role was later changed to the Special Adviser for Policy Communication.
Sunday Dare, who was the Special Adviser for Public Communication and National Orientation, was redecorated as the Special Adviser for Media and Public Communications.
2 MDs for UNRBDA
The appointment of two individuals, Aliyu Tajudeen and Dangajere Jaja, as managing directors/chief executives of the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority (UNRBDA) has caused confusion.
The dual appointments are reportedly the result of a power struggle between two influential individuals backing each
Tinubu speaks on stampedes in Abuja, Anambra
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has said he had cancelled all official events scheduled for Saturday, December 21, over the recorded deaths at stampedes in the FCT and Anambra state.
Tinubu said the move was to more the victims of the stampede and sympathise with their families.
The president then called on states and other stakeholders to adopt effective crowd control in situations like this and urged event organisers to adhere to all directives to avert such situations.
