Politics
EFCC clearance holds up Buhari’s appointments
Almost three weeks since he reportedly sent his list of ministerial nominees for security clearance, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to constitute his cabinet because most of the names failed the screening. OLULESAN LAOYE and EZUGWU OBINNA report
The delay in the appointment of ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari, has been linked to the failure of the proposed candidates to pass security screening. Some of the names being bandied as potential ministers in the new government are said to have issues bothering on corrupt practices which is against Buhari’s decision not to bring anyone with a dent into his cabinet.
Sources in Abuja disclosed that the main reason for the President’s inability to form a cabinet almost two months into his administration has to do with the current drive by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to bring corrupt public office holders, past and present to justice and rid the country of corruption.
This is because, as Hallmark was reliably informed, most of those expected to make Buhari’s cabinet have either one case or the other to settle with the anti-graft agency or have allegations of fraud hanging on their necks and the president in line with his promise to work with only corrupt-free individuals, had decided to delay forming his cabinet pending when those being considered are cleared by the security agencies.
Although Buhari had attributed his inability to appoint ministers to the fact that he got the report of the transition committee late, due to lack of corporation from officials of the past administration, it was gathered that the real reason for the seemingly unending delay is that some of those whose names were submitted to security agencies and the anti corruption outfit by the president for clearance could not meet the standards set by the him.
Competent sources within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) informed our reporters that some names were indeed submitted to the relevant security agencies as far back as three weeks ago, but many of those in the list could not obtain clearance because they have cases with agencies such as the EFCC, SSS, ICPC and the police.
Their failures to obtain clearance, Hallmark learnt has thrown the President and the APC off balance because some of those in this category included even former governors who had been widely hailed as having done well during their tenures in office.
Prominent among those named in this group are the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who has been variously tipped for the post of Attorney General, Chief of Staff as well as minister of works; former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi who has also been tipped for the post of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); former Anambra State governor, Senator Chris Ngige; former Bayelsa governor, Timipre Sylva and the former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi.
Fashola for instance, it would be recalled was caught in the web of a PDP sponsored damaging documentary “The Lion of Bourdillion” aired on African Independent Television (AIT) during the 2015 presidential election campaigns, which variously implicated him and the APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu on series of shoddy deals ranging from tax frauds to illegal acquisition of lands while he was governor. The allegations were further re-echoed by the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere which also at one point berated the former governor for allegedly enriching himself while in office.
His Ekiti State counterpart, Fayemi had also been accused severally by his successor, Ayodele Fayose of financial misappropriation. Specifically, Fayose accused him of spending N50m each on beds in his and wife’s bedrooms in the newly built Ekiti State Government House, as well as of having wasted over N100 million lodging in hotels while in office. Also a group has petitioned the EFCC over contract fraud during Fayemi’s administration.
Amaechi has, at the same time been accused by his successor and current governor of Rivers, Chief Nyesom Wike of running the most corrupt regime in the country. Wike alleged that the former governor had between January and November 2014 squandered over N298billion that accrued to the state from the Federation Accounts and loans obtained from various commercial banks.
The governor also alleged that between December 2014 and January 2015, Amaechi through the Government House and the Office of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government expended N11billion, believed to have been channeled into the Buhari Campaign Organization. He has meanwhile promised to reveal more details about the former governor’s corrupt practices after probing his administration. Understandably, he is yet to be verified by EFCC.
Sylva on his part despite being reportedly cleared of corruption charges for reasons analysts believe may have to do with the intention of the president to appoint him into a juicy position, is reportedly still battling with the EFCC over allegations of corruption.
It would also be recalled that the Ngige’s time as governor of Anambra State was marred by ‘politically motivated’ controversies. He was at one point accused of contract inflation by the anti-corruption agency.
Apart from the above individuals however, other notable individuals being considered for positions in the new government include Pastor Tunde Bakare, who was Buhari’s running mate under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) platform; Ogbonnaya Onu, former governor of the old Abia State who is also strongly tipped for SGF; Eze Festus Odimegwu, former National Population Commission (NPC) boss and member of the president’s transition committee; Ambassador Baba Ahmed and Ben Akabueze, a chieftain of the APC in Anambra State.
Although some among those who are being considered such as Onu, Odimegwu, Bakare are said to be free of corruption, the fact that those involved in the corruption charges are individuals who made tremendous contributions to the success of President Buhari and the APC in the recently concluded elections had understandably put pressure on the President and his party, prompting the continuing delay.
Sources told Hallmark that no fewer than 20 ministerial nominees are to be dropped by Buhari over corruption allegations. Out of the list he sent, sources said only about five names passed the corruption screening.
Security reports on the remaining confirmed their involvement in alleged fraud and misappropriation of funds at one point or the other.
Some names among the list of nominees were said to have been recommended by APC leaders.
It should be noted that Buhari has always reiterated that corrupt persons will have no place in his cabinet. Following the development, sources say the President is already working on a new list which he would send to the security agencies for screening. The source said if the new nominees pass the corruption test, their names will then be sent by Buhari to the senate for confirmation. This is expected to happen between August and September.