Following his inauguration in May 29, 2019, failure of Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to constitute cabinet has heightened agitation in the polity not only among party members but other citizens of the state. HEAD POLITICS, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM writes on the issue.
When will Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq constitute his cabinet or will he adopt the style of former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who governed his state for years without a cabinet in place? These questions among others have become the major point of discussion in Kwara State in the last three months, with party members and concerned citizens expressing different views over the matter.
Following victory at the last general election, members of the Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had expected the Governor to use cabinet formation to address agitations for appointments that became a major issue among members and party stakeholders. The matter, it was learnt then, threatened the unity of the party as the various groups loyal to notable party stalwarts reportedly exacerbated their demand for appointment; insisting on patronage from the Governor for the various roles played in his emergence as the Chief Executive of the state.
In an attempt to reportedly douse the tension and halt the narrative from critics that the state is on a one- way traffic’ auto-piloted by the Governor, news broke that Abdulrahman has approved the appointment of three key aides to help in the running of his administration in the persons of the Chief of Staff, Dr Aminu Logun; Secretary to the State Government, Mamman Saba Jibril and Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye.
According to the statement issued by the Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Agboola Olarewaju, the appointments of the three individuals which was the first by the governor underscored the belief of empowering young people to achieve their potentials and the determination to run an efficient and knowledge based administration by the new government.
However, hardly had the argument for the merit and demerit of the appointments subsided that stakeholders engaged in another round of agitation for their loyalists to be considered.
Many party stalwarts and groups within the party grumbled about the style of leadership of the Governor, accusing him of keeping things to his chest at the detriment of the party on the issue of government policies and appointment of those to work with him in his cabinet. They further blamed him for not reportedly carrying stakeholders along and taking unilateral decisions that had only compounded the situation.
Before long, statement and counter-statements became order of the day among various groups in the party across the three senatorial districts, pointing accusing fingers at one another over appointment into committees.
Speaking on the issue recently in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of a programme organised by the Kwara Consultative Forum in honour of Prof Shuaib AbdulRaheem Oba held at his Adewole residence, the chairman of the Kwara State chapter of the APC, Bolarinwa Omolaja Bashiru, said only Governor Abdulrazaq AbdulRahman can explain why no appointment has been made yet days after the inauguration of the present administration.
“Regarding (why the party is yet to make any appointment), I think it is only the governor that can actually comment on that. I, as the chairman of the party I am not in a position to comment on that but it is better late than never and I guess the governor is taking his time and trying to tread softly,” he explained.
He said, APC cannot afford to disappoint Kwarans, adding that the transition committee set up by the governor had done their job marvellously and … by the time the Governor starts to roll out its activities, “I believe Kwarans will have cause to smile”.
While calling for patience on the issue of expectations of Kwarans over appointments, the party chairman noted that what is happening in other states with other governors (on the issue of cabinet formation) cannot be equated with the situation in Kwara.
“Everybody has his own style and you cannot compare the style of other states with us here. Kwarans should fear less because the party means well and the governor will deliver the good”, he added.
Also speaking on the issue in an interview with Pilot Politics, a chieftain of the party, Prince Sunday Fagbemi said “I think the Governor himself or his spokesperson may be in position to answer or give reasons why (appointments) have not been made, but I know that action is ongoing and also know that he has to work with the House of Assembly on this. The Federal Government whose election came earlier than our own has not yet done anything (the inauguration of ministers was done yesterday). I don’t think there should be undue agitation over that. The Governor, I believe must take his time to put together a team that will be able to synergise with him and push the state forward. The people should be a little bit patient”, he added.
On the accusation by some party members that they are not being carried along on issue of nomination and appointment, Fagbemi said “If some people felt they need to be consulted and he (Governor Abdulrazaq) has not consulted them and they count that to be a unilateral decision, that is wrong and a blanket accusation.
“He consults with the people he feels he can get the best of advice from and not those that may want to mislead him. There is no appointment that I believe was done without due consultation with the leadership of the party and opinion moulders of all the senatorial districts that include traditional rulers who are not even politicians. I think those that the Governor has disappointed are party chieftains who felt they want to appoint for him”, he added.
The inference of Fagbemi that the issue of appointment will become clearer after the Federal Government is done with the nomination of cabinet members corroborated the view of many party members in the state, that the governor was waiting for the central government to conclude its appointment process so as to avoid conflict of interest, whereby some of those pencilled down for appointment may be considered by the President in his cabinet. A situation that is capable of creating another round of agitation that has already assumed an alarming dimension.
In a move believed to be a plot to douse the tension the issue had reportedly generated in the APC, the party called for submission of three names each across the 193 wards in the state reportedly in line with the demand of the Governor to form a database from where further appointments would be made. But weeks after the submission of the names, the governor is yet to announce any appointment in this regard except notifying the state legislature about the desire to appoint seven aides. But even the request has still not been fulfilled.
According to a top party source who spoke on the issue with this medium, the delay (in cabinet) is not unconnected with what is happening at the federal level regarding the yet to be constituted federal cabinet by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The Governor is taking his time and following keenly what is happening at the federal level with the federal cabinet. President Buhari is yet to announce his cabinet and with the high wire lobbying for ministerial appointment that defined the situation back home among top shots in the APC, one cannot say who will be appointed into which positions and how far they have gone.
“So, in order to avoid a situation where some persons that are named as appointees of the cabinet in the state are also appointed by the president, which will open another round of agitation and pressure from party members, the Governor has decided to wait for the coast to get clearer at the top before making his appointment back home”, the source added.
A sizeable number of party officials, it was gathered, who had expected the list of the cabinet to reach the House of Assembly after resumption from their recess were reportedly disappointed with the names of only seven of his aides sent to the lawmakers for approval.
However, the scenario has changed hugely, not only has the Federal Government nominated ministers, their swearing in took place on Wednesday and with similar happening in states like Ogun and Lagos. With this, there has been renewed pressure over the issue back home with party chieftains intensifying efforts to get their loyalists into the list, a situation that the Governor is reportedly not comfortable with.
So, will the Governor bow to the intense pressure from party leaders by constituting the much expected cabinet or continue to play the waiting game. In addition, has he decided to replicate the Osun State template in the State of Harmony to reduce the cost of governance for now? The situation will become clearer as events unfold.
