CAN someone please tell Buhari to tell to the Marines his cock-and-bull story of how he has been fair to the South/Christians in the distribution of portfolios? Even the Marines will be hard put to believe him once the statistics are in. Buhari should accord Nigerians some intelligence or could this be a measure of how pedestrian our president himself is? In trying to justify his lopsided appointments, Buhari argued he has been more than fair to the South simply because he – graciously! – allocated more full Ministerial portfolios to the region than he did to his beloved core north! Making reference, again, to his vexatious and obnoxious dichotomy of 97% and 5% votes, he opined that he was merciful – and we should grovel before him for that! – in giving the East full Ministerial portfolios! Ask me, what are those full portfolios – Chris Ngige’s Labour, Ogbonnaya’s Science and Technology, Usani Usani’s what – remind me please! If Buhari cares to listen, the truth of the matter is that, even if we judge him on this turf where he feels he has been most gracious to the South/Christians, his performance is still appalling. The Finance ministry is the only reasonable portfolio given to the South. The three-in-one given to Raji Fashola do not equate to one of the solid Ministries under the North’s belt; not to talk of the howler given to Amaechi, a noise-maker who, of late, has taken flight to “Afghanistan”, making a mountain out of a mole hill in his native Rivers state while conveniently ignoring the pogrom by herdsmen going on all over the country. Buhari is the Minister for Petroleum Resources. Between him and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Baru, we all saw how they rubbished Igboman Ibe Kachikwu a while ago. In addition, Muslim/North control the very critical portfolios of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Interior, Defence, Education. Tell me, after these, what is left? Howlers! All the agencies making money are also in their hands – Customs, Ports, NNPC. Mercifully – and we must show gratitude for this as well! – they left us with the Federal Inland Revenue Service. But, even here, we only collect the revenue for them, again, to preside over the sharing and take the lion’s share. Every Ministry, Department, and Agencies of note is taken up by them, leaving us with crumbs; not to mention the security forces and Presidency critical positions under their belt. Trying to spin these obvious facts around adds insult to grievous injury. One thing is certain from all of this: Buhari’s leopard is neither able nor willing to change its spots. Those prompting him or lining up behind him for second term, especially if they are from the South/Middle Belt/Christians, should see a doctor. Ara won o ya!
LAST WORD: Last week Wednesday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was in Ado-Ekiti on a mission he did not disclose publicly; it is an open secret, however, that he might be getting ready to give the presidency his last shot. At 72 or thereabouts, age is not on Atiku’s side. While starting out early has its virtue, it is too early in the day to say who will fly any party’s flag – more so after last week’s “scatter them” bombshell by Obasanjo. The dust raised by OBJ must first settle and the expected re-alignment of political forces concluded before we know where we are going in 2019.
and then