If sworn in, the coast would have been cleared for the conduct of the
forthcoming November 21 and December 5 governorship elections in Kogi
and Bayelsa states respectively.
Buhari had on October 21 unveiled the new INEC team to the National
Council of States (NCS), after which he sent their names to the Senate
for confirmation.
Today’s swearing-in of the Electoral Management Team (EMT) comes two
days ahead of the expected inauguration of the first cabinet of this
administration on Wednesday.
Both events are scheduled to take place at the Aso Council Chambers, State House, Abuja.
The Senate on October 29 confirmed the nomination of Yakubu, a
Professor of Political History and International Relations and immediate
past Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)
as the Chairman of INEC as well as five others: Baba Shettima Arfo, Dr.
Anthonia Taiye Okoosi Simbine, Mrs. Amina Zakari, Dr. Mohammed Mustapha
Lecky and Prince Soyebi Adedeji Solomon as national commissioners.
A Presidency source confirmed to yesterday in Abuja that
the swearing in of the ministers by the President would be followed by
the first cabinet meeting of Buhari since his election in March and
swearing in on May 29 this year.
The President has been widely criticised for his delay in unveiling
his cabinet almost six months after his inauguration as the fourth
democratically elected President in the fourth democratic dispensation.
Besides, Buhari, who had stirred a hornets nest for his claims that
not all his ministers would be allocated portfolios, citing the
dwindling revenue to the Federal Government, was also reported to have
directed his ministers-designate, during their two-day retreat which
ended on Friday to cut down the retinue of aides among others.
Meanwhile, there has been disquiet in the polity over the unconfirmed
report of a “secret” appointment of a one-time Permanent Secretary in
the Federal Ministry of Works, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed as the Private
Secretary to the President. Baba-Ahmed, a one time Secretary of INEC
coordinated the two-day Presidential retreat for ministers-designate
that ended Friday after which, word went round that he had been named as
the Private Secretary to the President.
In the seat of power, apart from the offices of the President and
Vice, the offices Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President and Private
Secretary are considered as some of the other ‘powerful positions.’
The appointment, though yet to be made public officially, has been
generating ripples in the polity, given that, Baba-Ahmed hails from the
North West, the same zone Buhari hails from.
Since he assumed office as the President, Buhari’s appointment of key
members of kitchen cabinet has been generating ripples in the polity
for its alleged lopsidedness.
Baba- Ahmed retired from civil service in the wake of reforms,
spearheaded by a former Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Mr.
Steve Orosanye, which pegged the tenure of Permanent Secretaries to two
terms of eight years.
Key appointments so far made by the President include the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation (SGF) given to Mr. Babachir David
Lawal, a Christian from Adamawa State while prominent banker, Abba Kyari
from Borno, was named Chief of Staff to the President .
So far, there have been no key appointees of South East and South
West indigenes into the President’s “kitchen” cabinet, a move widely
seen by the people from the two zones as a deliberate attempt to
marginalise their people, an allegation vigorously denied by the
Presidency.
When contacted at the weekend, the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu confirmed that the INEC
team would be sworn in on Monday and the first Federal Executive Council
would hold on Wednesday.
but said: “We have not been informed of the appointment of a Private Secretary.”
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