emmanuel asiwe 07 October 2015 News

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has described the long wait that heralded the release of the ministerial list of President Muhammadu Buhari as basically unwarranted.

The Coalition’s Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, expressed utter disappointment over most of the names which made the list.

He held that there really is no unique change at all portrayed in the list.

"By the way, where lies the change Mr. President and the APC have been promising Nigerians all this while if appointment into his cabinet is still the same old style of ‘settling the boys’, regardless of whether or not such appointment enjoys any merit," Adeniran said.

"Mr. President had kept Nigerians on the edge for almost four months of waiting anxiously to welcome the super-technocrats that would steer the ship of change in our polity but what have we now seen? The same old wine in a new bottle."

According to Adeniran, CACOL is of the opinion that Nigerians would not have been too bothered over the list as they would have simply taken it as the usual fashion typical of the average Nigerian politician but for the mere fact that the President had consistently appealed to Nigerians for understanding and patience.

Given the President’s assurance overtime, "the average right-thinker would have expected to see in the list, names of established technocrats in the roll-call of academics and professionals of repute and there is no disputing the fact that our nation has it in abundance, both within and outside these shores," Adeniran added.

"We make bold to say that Nigerians are not difficult to govern as some narrow minds are wont to posit, rather they appreciate good and result-oriented ideas whenever any leader comes up with one.

"Apart from the example of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo whose enviable legacy had ever remained a bench-mark in the annals of governance in the South-West geo-political zone of this country, the appointment of the erstwhile chairman of INEC in person of Professor Atahiru Jega by the Jonathan’s government, enjoyed popular commendation by the of Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country."

He said the common question on the lips of the people today has been; why the long wait; why the anxiety and hope for change, since we are not going to witness anything outside the status quo.

Adeniran singled out two major cases:

1. BABATUNDE FASHOLA

With the avalanche of allegations bothering on his administration’s leaning for elitist programs at the expense of what should be of benefit to the common man in Lagos State. Provision of essential infrastructures like roads, transportation facilities and other social amenities in such a way as to justify the huge revenue, both internally generated and from the federation account was clearly lacking. There were also cases of contracts been apparently over-bloated.

MRS. KEMI ADEOSUN

A very powerful commissioner in the cabinet of Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State. There have been allegations ranging from financial impropriety and corrupt enrichment to graft. She is been severally accused of diverting state projects to her personal benefit or that of her cronies.

It must be understood that, by citing these two examples, we are not trying to label the others as saints, what CACOL is only saying is that, since these nominees are to be entrusted with state funds and projects, the presidency ought to have carried out a thorough findings on the allegations levelled against them with a view to determining their culpability or otherwise before proceeding on making such nominations.

On a final note, now that the long-awaited list is out, even though most Nigerians have their reservations based on their jettisoned expectations, we want to call on the Senate to do the needful and shun any consideration other than that of the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians, by doing a thorough screening and drilling on the nominees, and NOT the traditional ‘take a bow’ ceremony, as this, at the end of the day, remains the only way by which the hallowed chamber of law making could justify the confidence reposed in it by the people that elected them. The days of ‘just come and chop’ should be over; it should now be that of ‘come and work’.