Between Buhari and his ambitious ministers

LEON USIGBE examines the resignation and u-turn of some ministers and questions surrounding their re-absorption in the federal cabinet.

Ten members of the President Muhammadu Buhari cabinet expressed interest to contest various elective positions under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Prior to signifying their intention, most or all of them met with him for consent to press ahead. They got what they wanted. President Buhari wished them good luck with admonition to seek the buy-ins of the electorate. What the president did not advise at the time was the imperative of quitting as members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to concentrate on the pursuit of their new horizons.

They were ostensibly also encouraged to remain in their posts and simultaneously maintain interest in elective offices by Buhari’s opposition to Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which he believes negates the Constitution. In the president’s opinion, the section constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders because it forbids them from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party where the exercises hold earlier than 30 days to the national election.

The president thinks that it introduces qualification and disqualification criteria that ultra vires the Constitution by way of importing blanket restriction and disqualification to serving political office holders. Buhari expressed the opinion that the practical application of section 84(12) will, by operation of law, subjects serving political office holders to inhibitions and restrictions referred to under section 40 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Despite his reservations, the president assented to the bill as passed by the National Assembly. It has since become a subject of litigation.

With the case yet to be determined, the ministers with ambition seemed to have been jolted into stark reality when the president suddenly requested them to hand in their resignation letters. Forty-eight hours after the directive, he summoned all 10 of them to a valedictory meeting. In attendance were Abubakar Malami (Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice); Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment); Godswill Akpabio (Niger Delta Affairs); Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation); Ogbonnaya Onu (Science, Technology and Innovation); Pauline Tallen (Women Affairs); Timipre Sylva (State, Petroleum Resources); Uche Ogah (State, Mines and Steel Development), and Tayo Alasoadura (State, Niger Delta Affairs). Emeka Nwajiuba, (Minister of State, Education) was absent with apologies.

The resignation directive was prompted by Nwajiuba, who submitted his letter as far back as May 28, not long after purchasing the expression of interest and nomination form of the APC.

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The president had told them during the meeting: ‘’I note that some have complied while others are in the process of doing so. I would like to use this opportunity to commend your decision and courage to contest for elective offices and your compliance with my directive. I also wish to thank you for your invaluable services to this nation through your contributions as cabinet members. I wish you success in the upcoming elections and in your future endeavours.”

Buhari addressed them as though he was done with them, commending the outgoing officers for serving the nation sacrificially, ‘’with dignity and honour.’’ He even reminded them that their departure had undoubtedly created a vacuum that he would immediately fill so that the business of governance would not suffer. With their resignation in mind, President Buhari urged the remaining members of the cabinet to show more diligence, resilience and commitment to serve Nigerians better.

The suddenness of the directive to resign left them scrambling to process it. Akpabio, on behalf of the exiting ministers, responded to the president’s remark, suggesting that even though they were done with their ministerial assignment, they would be ambassadors of the Buhari administration. While thanking the president for giving them the opportunity to serve and contribute their quota to nation building, the former Niger Delta Affairs minister noted that working with Buhari was a ‘‘fantastic and knowledgeable experience,’’ adding: ‘’As we step aside from FEC, I want you to know that you have disciples in us. I want you to know that it is time for us to propagate Buharism. I want you to know that we are going to be working closely with the Minister of Information and Culture to take your message of transformation, love, patience, administrative sagacity to Nigerians.”

However, Akpabio pointed out that from his interactions with colleagues leaving the cabinet, it was like the story of the Spanish play of ‘‘sadness and joy.’’ ‘’Sadness in the sense that we are going to miss the continuous daily and weekly interaction with a father and learning from him; joy because we now have an opportunity to go to the wider audience in Nigeria to speak more of your achievements for this country,” he said. He prayed for the president and the departing ministers, saying: ‘’May one of us succeed you in order to continue the good legacies you have laid on ground. We have seen and know your vision. We know where you want the country to be.’’

However, confusion arose when it was learnt that Ngige had unsuccessfully sought to see the president privately before the valedictory session and sent words later that he had not resigned. This was followed by some sort of double speak by Tallen who gave the impression that she still had time to ponder over the president’s directive. Herself, Malami and Sylva later opted to abandon their political ambitions in preference of remaining in their ministerial positions. Malami and Tallen returned to attend last Wednesday’s FEC. Sylva was thought to have participated virtually while Ngige was out the country.

There are observers who suggest that the president’s valedictory session should have afforded no room for the officers who attended it to return to the cabinet. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, seemed to believe that there would be no way back for any of those who backtracked as he maintained after the valedictory session: “Mr. President’s speech was very clear. He thanked the outgoing ministers for their sacrifice and contribution.”

Mohammed, again, cast doubt on their status after the FEC meeting, indicating that he was unsure of what President Buhari would make of their return. “Right now, I need to cross check. I need to confirm again from Mr. President, what the situation is. I think, you see, the final decision on who is going, who’s coming back, who’s not going lies with the president,” Mohammed stated.

With the presence of the returning ministers at FEC, several questions remain unanswered. Some are, why did they attend the valedictory session for resigning ministers? Where does not obeying the resignation directive leave the president? Is re-absorbing them into the cabinet a sign of weakness, flippancy or just magnanimity on the part of the president? Analysts are scratching their heads, pondering.

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