THE BUHARI CABINET, THOSE NOISE MAKERS THAT IS?

Icheoku says it took an elected President Muhammadu Buhari six long agonizing, suspenseful months to constitute his cabinet and finally form a government? Then ask yourself, what was he doing preparatory to his election as president if not assembling a crop of men and women, potential ministers, ready to go as soon as confirmed?  Icheoku asks was this how the president would have implemented his threatened paralleled government, had Jonathan of Otuoke not chickened out from mounting a serious stake at a second term and won his reelection? Anyway, Nigerians indulged him with their votes and elected him president and Icheoku is not prepared to re-litigate that disappointing election. Icheoku now makes a few comments about the inaugurated cabinet:-

Of all the appointed men and women, former Lagos State Governor Babtunde Fashola was given a portfolio that needs an action figure and sure, he is a perfect fit for the task at hand, particularly with regards to the power sector. Icheoku use to admire him very much as the then best performing governor in Nigeria until that ill-fated and ill-advised deportation of fellow Nigerians from a Nigerian territory Lagos. However, Fashola has since apologized for that misguided act and the matter should now rest; admitted he qualified his apology with trying to explain his unconstitutional conduct as a kind of getting rid of some public "nuisance?" Icheoku says except that those Igbo deportees are no worse a public nuisance than the Omo Oniles, Area Boys and Alaayees of Lagos; yet these miscreants were not similarly deported to somewhere that did not mind their presence or where "public nuisances" are tolerated or shipped off to?  

But be that as it may, Icheoku agrees that Fashola has the burning desire and a can do spirit to finally make Nigerians experience constant power supply in their country. If anyone can pull it off, Governor Fashola is that person and has no reason not to; especially not after repeatedly giving his views on how to get it done in the past and now has the opportunity to put his money where his mouth is. Fashola now has everything to prove to Nigerians and the man who assigned him the responsibility and he must not allow that their supreme trust to be in vain. Although the Power ministry has been an Achilles heel for the several ministers sent there over the many years to unchain the lack of power supply, but hopefully Fashola will defy the odds and get the job done and Icheoku strongly trusts that he will get it done. Further, the only other person who would have ensured that Nigerians got steady supply of power was Barth Nnaji, but unfortunately, Jonathan of Otuoke sacked him before his plans for Nigeria could incubate and for no reason other than flimsiness. But let the past now rest as Fashola is the man of the moment, presently assigned the task of solving the "Never Expect Power Always" of the power sector in Nigeria.

So with Fashola, Icheoku says if at the end of the day he could not or failed to or was sabotaged from ensuring steady supply of power in Nigeria, then it is finished as the job CANNOT ever be done. Hopefully he will have the courage and fortitude to take head-on the 'Generators Mafia', who took the power sector hostage and are continuing their sabotage of power supply effort in Nigeria in order to remain in business. Unlike his predecessor, the immediate past minister in charge of power, the incompetent Nebo, who instead of bravely doing what was needed to sanitize and turn the epileptic power supply situation around, was busily praying and invoking 'Holy Ghost Fire' upon his declared "witches and wizards in the power sector", Fashola will employ a different approach - the get it done approach. Unfortunately for Nebo, after several years of drooling around in the ministry, his prayers were apparently not heard, answered nor listened to, otherwise uninterrupted power would have become abundant. Today, a new man of action has been put in charge and Icheoku is hopeful that things will get done and done fast to bring Nigerians the succor they long desire and deserve. Icheoku says God's speed Fash. 

The other portfolio Icheoku will like to mention is the Interior Ministry now assigned to Kano State's Abdulrahman Dambazzau. With that assignment as well as the Zamfara State's Dan Ali for Defense and Kebbi State's Malami Abubakar for Justice,  President Muhammad Buhari has successfully cornered every security portfolio and agencies in the country and handed their control to Northerners. This is just for the records only as Icheoku is convinced that Dambazzau as former chief of army staff and security adviser is well qualified and has all it takes to get the job of  internally securing Nigeria done. Icheoku says congratulations to the new Interior Minister and hopefully he will expedite action on compensating the families of those applicants stampeded to death during a job interview under the former minister of Interior Abba Moro. A motor park tout whose only qualification for getting the job was that he muscled David Mark's election and as a pay back, David Mark forced the hands of Jonathan of Otuoke to compensate him with the portfolio.Speaking of a square peg in a round hole, that is.

Icheoku says President Muhammad Buhari scored a masterstroke, which will ultimately take the wind out of the sail of those Biafra agitators, with his appointment of the Foreign Affairs minister. By appointing Enugu State's Geoffrey Oyeama as Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, the reason d`etre for the agitation for Biafra is somewhat nipped in the bud. Otherwise how can a group crying marginalization and threatening to pull out of Nigeria explain that one of their own is now the foreign affairs minister or rather the image or face of Nigeria to the world? How can a people complaining of being marginalized sustain this their argument when one of their own is now representing Nigeria as its foreign affairs minister? Short of this masterful coup de grace achieved with this particular appointment, Icheoku does not know much about the said appointee to comment any further; but wishes him a successful outing as Nigeria's face to the world. 

The other somewhat surprised and to an extent questionable assignment is that of a medical doctor Chris Ngige, who was sent to the Labour and Employment Ministry. Icheoku as well as many other Nigerians thought that, with his background in medicine, the Health Ministry was his for the giving and would have been a better fit for him? This point of view is enhanced by the  "round peg in a round hole" mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari; a problem which was however solved with the appointment of a medical doctor as the Health Minister. Icheoku prays that Ngige will bring his can do attitude as then performing governor of Anambra State before Olusegun Obasanjo signed off on his kidnapping and eventual impeachment, over to and turn around the Labor Ministry.

Last but not the least is the assignment of Transport Ministry to the Judas Iscariot of Southsouth Niger Delta region, Rotimi Amaechi. Hopefully, the man whom "Rivers States people know does not like money, hence does not take bribes", will commit every kobo allocated in the budget to finally and fully transform or rather effect provable "CHANGE" in transport development in Nigeria. Icheoku asks Rotimi Amaechi, is it worth it afterall sabotaging the presidency held by his region for a mere appointment as a Minister of Transport? A matter made more glaringly clear because Rotimi Amaechi will not be an Umaru Dikko type Transport Minister because President Muhammadu Buhari is not a pushover President Shehu Shagari. Icheoku asks Rotimi Amaechi, what is the worth of the Transport Ministry in terms of power, budgetary allocations and controls as to make it a fair trade-off for Aso Rock? If Rotimi Amaechi wanted to be only a Transport Minister, shouldn't he have discussed that option with Jonathan of Otuoke and have himself appointed therein instead of moving the earth and heaven he moved to sabotage Jonathan's reelection? Only time will tell whether Rotimi Amaechi will eventually find a noose and do what only naturally comes to traitors like him; a despicable person who for selfish reasons and inexplicable hatred of his own kind, ganged up against his brother with outsiders. If only this man is a disciple and/or if he is in doubt, he should revisit the Godfather and also watch Godfather III, particularly the admonition of Al Pacino Michael Corleone of his brother Fredo before having him whacked. 

As for the rest of other appointees, Icheoku either does not know them enough to pass a comment or does not care a hoot about them or their portfolios to oblige a comment. However, Icheoku prays they will all succeed in their various assignments and hopefully they will be able to prove themselves good fits for their respective positions.  They must endeavor not to give the president reason to regret the confidence he reposed on them by appointing them. Among these minsters, Icheoku has chosen Power, Works and Housing Minister Fashola and Interior Minister Abdulrahman Dambazzau as the two most likely to succeed ministers. Icheoku is convinced that both men will come out tops in this class of newly minted ministers when their their term ends and the results are called.

Icheoku also commends the choice of the new man at the helms of affairs at EFCC. The agency needs some vitality as the former guy Ibrahim Larmode has become too fat on the job to continue performing optimally. So a person with Ibrahim Magu's track record of past performance and resume will surely bring the mojo and bite back to the agency. What a parody that one Ibrahim moved out to make way for another Ibrahim to move in, leaving Nigerians wondering what is in a name and/or about the name Ibrahim? Now lets see if the President Muhammadu Buhari sputtering government will finally get some serious traction and eventually, lift off. Icheoku wishes all the best to the the presidents men and women as well as their boss, the president; and says may Nigeria thrive and prosper IJN.