The Dilemma Of Chidoka's Ministerial Appointment

I am sure that many of my numerous readers have been wondering what happened to my column over the past few weeks. I am sorry that I did not keep them abreast of developments. I was on holiday in Nigeria. I needed to keep to myself, have a well deserved rest, and reflect soberly on the challenges of life. Not a bad outing. But now, we can bounce back on our feet once again.

Yes. The recent appointment of Chief Osita Chidoka as the Minister of Aviation, replacing the former minister, Princess Stella Oduah, was a very welcome gesture to many Nigerians, especially those of us in Diaspora. Apart from the fact that the ministerial slot was reserved for Anambra State, most people believe that a public figure like Chidoka who has creditably proved his mettle as the Corps Marshal & Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission in the last seven years in that post, was most qualified to replace Princess Oduah.

One of the accusations against Princess Oduah was that she may have falsified her academic credentials. On the contrary, Chidoka attended a local university in the first place, and further trained abroad. He read Business Management at the University of Nigeria, took a Masters degree in Transport Policy and Logistics from the School of Public Policy of George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA and a Post Graduate Diploma in Maritime and Ports Management from the National University, Singapore. During his years as Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Commission, he served as Chairperson of the Regional Group of African Countriesand Chairperson, Regional Group of Nordic Countries. So, obviously, Chidoka was most qualified for the position of Minister of Aviation.

But now, the same people who were happy with Chidoka on his well deserved appointment are beginning to raise doubts whether in the Nigerian political equation the PDP made a right decision in appointing Chidoka as a replacement for Princess Oduah. They believe that the PDP may have taken a 'panic measure' in this case.

Their concern is very straight forward.

Now that the position of Corp Marshal and CEO of the Federal Road Safety Commission has been relinquished by Chidoka, will that post still go to Anambra State or will the position now revert to another state? That is the first question. And without doubt, the answer is that the next man to Chidoka, the man who has the experience and who worked closely with Chidoka will step into his shoes as CEO and Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission. That man will certainly not come from Anambra State, and this means that Anambra has lost one important Federal appointment in an attempt to fill in the gap in the Aviation ministry which is zoned to the state.

More importantly, what happens to Chidoka if, for any reason, the PDP fails to win the Presidential election in 2015? That is the second question.

It is pretty obvious that the opposition APC, should it win the 2015 elections, will not retain Chidoka as the minister of Aviation. So, what happens to him? If he had remained as CEO of the Federal Road Safety Commission, it would probably be difficult for any ruling party to take him off the post, given his experience and clout. The same thing cannot be said of him as the minister of Aviation.

Therefore, many Nigerians in Diaspora think that the PDP should get back to the drawing board and map out a strategy that will take care of Chief Osita Chidoka should the political equation change in the near future. That young man is an asset to Nigeria and the country needs to tap into his potentials.

Juggle the figures: what the PDP should do now is to stay one step ahead of the situation, and map out a strategy that will accommodate Chidoka should the party lose out in the 2015 elections. The PDP should get back to the drawing table now and map out its strategy before it is too late.

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Articles by Emeka Asinugo