FOR TINUBU’S FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The incoming ministers have their jobs clearly cut out

The nomination of at least one person from each of the 36 states of the federation found fit to be members of the Executive Council of the Federation and their confirmation by the Senate are duties imposed on the president by section 147 of the 1999 Constitution. In fulfilment of that mandate, President Bola Tinubu recently sent 48 names to the Senate. At the end, 45 of them were cleared while confirmation was withheld for three on grounds of ‘security report’. But not a few Nigerians were disappointed by the whole process beginning with the unwieldly list comprising mostly politicians without notable public service achievements. Besides, the job of the Senate was made difficult by the fact that portfolios were not attached to the names. 

While there is no constitutional requirement to assign portfolios along with the nominees, our considered view is that for transparency and accountability in the public arena, the president should have forwarded the names of his nominees along with their proposed portfolios. This would have helped the Senate to conduct detailed hearings on the competence and temperament of the nominees. Of course, there are those who argue that any future re-assignment of ministers by the president will be constrained by the initial designation of portfolios. But such an argument does not hold water. The experience and convention of other nations, notably the United States that pioneered the presidential system of government, enables future redeployment without any need for reconfirmation by the Senate. In any case, “cabinet reshuffle” is a common occurrence also in our country.  

Open and detailed confirmation of ministerial nominees is particularly important in our country where institutions are relatively weak and the efficacy of the civil service to underpin the performance of ministers is uncertain. But as it was in the past, the Senate failed Nigerians on this occasion. The sessions lacked rigour. The practice of exempting past members of the National Assembly from any questioning is wrong and must stop. Discharging the constitutional burden of confirming ministerial nominees is not the place for the display of some petty espirit de corps! 

Barring any last-minute change, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will be inaugurated tomorrow, with the portfolios shared last Wednesday. Whatever may be the misgivings of Nigerians who believe that Tinubu has placed more emphasis on politics in the selection of nominees and cabinet placements, we can only hope that the members understand the challenge of present-day Nigeria. 

These challenges are enormous and in all areas of our national life. Following removal of fuel subsidy and merging of the foreign exchange rates, Nigerians are groaning under the soaring prices of items, particularly consumer goods. Basic staples, ranging from rice, proteins, grains, cereals, bread, carbohydrates, and beverages have been priced beyond the reach of most citizens. 

In the security sector, scores of people are killed daily in different parts of the country either by terrorists, bandits and sundry other cartels of armed gangs. The parlous state of infrastructure has become alarming; and most rural areas are yet to experience any meaningful form of development despite the annual budgetary allocations for that purpose. Also, the rule of law reigns substantially in rhetoric. Healthcare delivery is still poor and educational standard continues to slide and a large chunk of the population still live below poverty line.  

Ordinarily, good governance is focused on the people, their safety and welfare, the optimal allocation of scarce resources and the effective implementation of policies for service delivery. But that is not what we witness in Nigeria today. In recent years, the statements that emerge at the end of the FEC once-weekly meetings betray a lack of seriousness. It is almost always about award of contracts, upward review of previously awarded contracts, or termination and re-award of contracts sometimes without any process, etc. Meanwhile, the myriad of problems confronting the nation are hardly ever seriously considered except such discussion had to do with transactional matters. 

As President Tinubu therefore inaugurates the FEC tomorrow, we hope he will hand down performance targets and timelines to individual ministers as a basis for subsequent evaluations. That’s what a time like these demands