​Diagnosing Appointophobia And Probocracy In Buhari's Regime

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The administration of President Mohammad Buhari in Nigeria, has been on the spotlight locally and internationally, mainly for controversies concerning ethno-biased appointments and probing of the ousted Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The obsession and manner in which the Buhari’s administration is going about the laudable project of probe and lampooned lopsided appointments, as at the time of this publication, could best be described as 'probocracy' and 'appointophobia'.

Nigeria is known as a democratic country, operating a federal system of government in which the federating units are by the 1999 Constitution seeing as equal stakeholders in the distribution of political power and resources. And this is besides the quota system, aside merit.

Despite these principles, Nigeria today, appears to be operating a system that is fastly relegating democratic ideologies and the national interest doctrine. The opposites of the aforementioned values, appear to be taking over.

'Appointophobia' in the contest of the current administration in the country means two syndromes. One is the phobia or fear of appointing civilian politicians, even those who laid their lives and those who betrayed their

own brother, to enthrone a new president. There is also apparent phobia of having to work with ‘bloody’ and ‘smart’ civilian politicians, unlike in the military era in which civilians used, were purely rubber stamps and “yes sir” appointees.

Often times, President Buhari has explained that he needed to take time to shop for the kind of persons he would work with. Paradoxically, the long search appears to be looking for angels in Hell, even though there could still be saints in Nigeria.

Apparently, President Buhari as a core regimentary soldier, despite years of civilianization through politicking, may have been worried about how he could parley with ‘bloody’ civilians, especially, at such powerful level of civilian presidency.

He would have, perhaps preferred working with beaurcats in the Federal Civil Service, particularly, permanent secretaries, who have served as defacto ministers from May 2015 till date.

There is no wonder therefore, that appointing of ministers became delayed to the dismay of a larger number of Nigerians, who have no option than to wait and see the end of the appointment drama before taking a stand.

And it will be delayed until the end of this month, September, 2015, as currently assured by the President. Thank God, nominees were being screened at the time of writing this article.

If not that the country is in a democratic dispensation, which also has a supreme constitution, instead of Decree No. 1, that was used in the past to suspend existing constitutions, the legislature and the judiciary, what would have happened, could best be imagined.

Also if not for constitutional provisions and public outcry that will surge, the permanent secretaries would have been used as ministerial heads under any nomenclature. This is because the Constitution

does not specify that permanent secretaries cannot be made ministers.

The second syndrome of the 'appointophobia', seems to be the fear of having persons from all ethnic and geographic divides on board as members of the cabinet and on other non-cabinet positions. This fear is irrespective of the constitutional provision for even spread of appointments, especially ministerial. This is one apprehension that was played up during the campaigns ahead of the 2015 general election.

Of a truth, the sensitive appointments so far made, favour the North most. Thus, many Nigerians who are not pretenders, have bared their minds out painfully. And this is irrespective of the fact that core political allies, such as Chief Bola Tinubu, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Timipre Sylva and others have been kept in the lurch.

What matters to those complaining against the lopsided appointments so far made, is that they do not portray the acclaimed fairness and integrity traits of the president as well as the promise of carrying everybody and all sections of the country along.

They also cast doubt on the promises of change, especially by eradicating ethnicity which is the greatest bane of unity and development in the country.

To counter the early negative perceptions that many Nigerians held of President Buhari, his media handlers; Mr. Femi Adesina – Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs and Mr. Garba Shehu – Senior Special Assistant on Media, have made spirited efforts to deflect condemnations that Mr. Buhari is re-enacting a hegemony.

They have assured that forthcoming appointments, will reflect ethnic and zonal spread, but what happened to the sensitive appointments so far made is what has not being convincingly explained to aggrieved Nigerians and poliricians.

In any case, Nigerians are waiting to see the rest actions of the president, whether he will be fare to all parts of the country.

The hijacking of public positions to say the least has only added to the mixed feelings now enveloping the anti-corruption war of the government, which has turned Nigeria’s democracy to a different system that I call, 'probocracy' - government of probes.

Agreed, corruption is a worrisome issue, opinion is now tending to sway against the way and manner it is being fought, and focused on the President

Jonathan’s regime which let peace to reign by allowing free and fair elections and conceding defeat. The recent commamdore-style invasion of Akwa Ibom State Government House by security operatives, also miffed up many Nigerians.

Clamour by many Nigerians, to extend the probe up to 1999 when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure began, and even down to the military era that Buhari also ruled in 1983, is premised on the fears expressed, and to test the sincerity of the probe project.

Meanwhile, what has become more disturbing is the daily announcement of persons and expenditures in the Jonathan's administration, to be probed. Few of them portrayed that the handover notes and the account books might not have been properly perused. A case in point is the Chinese loan for railway project, alleged to have been siphoned, for which former Finance Minister, Mrs. Okonjo Iweala defended as false.

Even recently, some ministers that served in Jonathan’s administration cried out against what they described as selective embarrassment, to the out-gone president, who himself, had also earlier said that the probe be extended to other past regimes.

Their stance, may not however mean that they are all without blemish, going by the magnitude of allegations. While the probe drama which has become known as 'probocracy' – a government of probes, last, Nigerians are worried about when economic; educational and the other projects will start rolling out.

Following the diagnoses of the controversies of appointments and probes, it behoves one to call for caution on the part of President Buhari and his lieutenants. The call is imperative because Nigeria needs to avoid acts that could cause further acrimony and disunity. Such could also truncate the change and development expected of the change advocates and the Federal Government.

President Buhari therefore, ought to allow modernity and the constitution to influence leadership styles and policies devoid of whims and caprices. That way, Nigeria will continue to support and reap the expected change programmes, and his name will be etched in gold in the nation's history as the messiah, who cleanse the mess.

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Articles by Etete Enideneze