All in the Family, Quite a few from the “tribe”!
From Top, L to R: Daura, “Principal Adviser”;(North)
Amina-Bala Zakari (nee Husaini Adamu), National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. (Ms. Zakari is not only INEC Commissioner but a senior sister to the Minister of Water Resources; they are supposed to be Buhari’s niece and nephew.) She was appointed as Ag. Chair of INEC by the president before he chose the present INEC boss and Ms. Zakari became a “mere” Commissioner, a post that is still considerably high in Nigeria’s “federal” set-up. While Ms. Zakari was not a Buhari appointee, former President Jonathan reportedly appointed her on the recommendation of then General Buhari to represent the Northwest on INEC board. (North)
Lawal Musa Daura, Director-General, SSS (See below) (North)
Kyari, Chief of Staff. Also named to the new NNPC Board. (This is the guy who has been in the news as not allowing the appointment of the acting EFCC boss generally believed by Nigerians to be doing a good job at the crime-fighting agency. Kyari, we’ve read, has not had his appointment confirmed because of a particular investigation in the oil sector that purportedly has to do with Diezani and her fellow looters of the oil wealth through the NNPC. Kyari has been reported as threatening the EFCC boss about possible loss of his job if he does not stop the particular investigation. (North)
Not in above photograph
Hadi Sirika, Minister of Water Resources. (reportedly Buhari’s nephew from an older sister). It must be stated that the Department of Water Resources that has always enabled the North to benefit immensely in the area of agriculture apart from water supply for many uses, has been headed by a Northerner for many years, even before the return to civil rule in 1979. (North)
Kabir Daura, personal Assistant to the president. (supposed son of Mamman Daura, the same man who reportedly raised Abba Kyari, though not his father by other accounts). (North)
Above info & photographs, Credit: pointblanknews.com; copy-writing, blogger’s.
Credit: sundiatapost.com
Aisha Abubakar, Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Investment (reported to be a daughter of Mrs. Daura’s younger sister) (North)
Col. Lawan Abubakar, ADC to the President, reportedly married to the granddaughter of Buhari’s sister, i.e. Buhari’s grandnephew-in-law) (North)
Babachir David, Secretary to Government of the federation (North)
Above are new info to an essay on the growing Northern-ization of top appointments that I had been working on before I saw these worse nepotistic gathering that President Muhammadu Buhari supposedly surrounds himself with in a country of 150 million-plus population only early a.m. today.
Despite a recent statement credited to the Sultan of Sokoto, in defending murderous Fulani herdsmen who have been found openly carrying assault rifle, it is Southern Nigeria that is marginalized. Here are excerpts from the Sultan’s statements that the North is marginalized but does not complain:
Fulani men are only after their cattle not after government or its policies and programmes. How can they carry weapons, to go and do what with?
Photo Credits: Google Images
When there is a vacant position and a Hausa man is appointed, we called it Northernization and when a Muslim leader or cleric visit an Islamic country, we say he is trying to Islamise Nigeria …” [buzznigeria.com]
It is very apparent that the Sultan is deliberately avoiding the issue of the herdsmen, and from stats in this essay as well as from many media in Nigeria, he’s also very wrong on alleged “marginalisation” of the North which controls most appointments at “federal” level. As for Islamisation of the country, the evidences are all out there.
How about the Sultan of Sokoto, the head of Muslims giving an order that over-rides government’s order on public holiday: after Tuesday and Wednesday July 5 and 6 had been declared public holidays for the Ramadan, a late announcement from the same Sultan – after workers had already stayed home for a day of the two named – added Thursaday, July 7 in a supposedly secular state!
What an unfunny joke! What a travesty that lays bare the emptiness of the pretense at nationhood of a country whose Constitution is the result of the equivalent of back-door smoke-filled room that any powerful/privileged group can wipe their feet on.
Who can forget how Sani Yerima of Zamfara State peed on the so-called Constitution and declared Sharia Law even while the indigenes of the state he governed were wallowing in abject poverty? Rather than have him challenged in court, Obasanjo was busy on grander designs of the evil Third Term. Nigeria has never recovered from that bare-face challenge to the near-worthless document that holds the various nationalities together since when one considers that the APC, a party supposedly born of progressive ideals could dare to speak out that it opposes a National Dialogue!
Of course, there are strong assaults on Christianity in the Northern part of Nigeria with priests and regular Christians being slaughtered at perceived infractions against Islam in OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD RATHER THAN NIGERIA. Most Christians in Nigeria today feel they have been betrayed by President Buhari in the area of acting as a protector of all Nigerians of every faith.
And herdsmen “do not carry weapons to go and do what with …”? Check out a story from the link at bottom for this excerpt from This Day of April 20, 2016: “… the state police spokesman, Bala Elikana, told journalists in Minna yesterday that in the last six months, 20 AK-47 rifles, 70 Dane guns, 30 double barrel guns and 1,000 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the herdsmen …:]
Back to the reality of the North as the lopsided beneficiary of most “federal” appointments – in addition to the supposed nepotistic gathering around the President.
Starting with two recent press releases on the troubling trend that are staring us in the face:
A. Nigeria Police Commission announces new Deputy Inspector-General (DIGs)
AIG Shuaibu Gambo, Dept of Finance & Administration (North);
Commissioner of Police (CP) Joshak Habila, Department of Operation (North);
CP Maigari Dikko, Department of Logistics and Supply (North);
H. M. Dagala, Dept of Force Criminal Intelligence & Investigation (possibly North)
CP Emmanuel T. Inyang, Dept of Training & Development (Southeast)
CP Foluso Adebanjo, Dept of ICT (Southwest)
CP Abdul Bube, AIG Force Secretary (North)
CP Ntom Chukwu, Dept of Research & Planning (Southeast)
*The real powerful positions in these promotions are apparent to Nigerians.
B. The New National Petroleum Company’s Board
While the press has widely carried Kachikwu’s slight job change as “removal” or “sack”, it is a description to be taken as mere semantics because it is apparent that the guy is still sitting pretty as one of Buhari’s top ministers. His divestment of one portfolio merely paved the way for a Northerner to become the GMD – see below.
1. Chairman-Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum (Southeast)
2. Group Managing Director- Dr Maikanti Kacalla Baru (North)
3. The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance; Mahmoud Isa Dutse (Jigawa/North)
4. Mallam Abba Kyari; He’s also Chief of Staff for the president (Northwest)
5. Dr Thomas M.A John (Most likely South)
6. Dr Pius O. Akinyelure (South/Ondo)
7. Dr Tajuddeen Umar (Most likely North)
8. Mallam Mohammed Lawal (North)
9. Mallam Yusuf Lawal (Most likely North)
Nigeria’s Security Arm
POLICE: Inspector-General, Idris Ibrahim, (North)
CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF: General Tukur Buratai – (North)
CHIEF OF AIR FORCE: Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, Buhari (North)
CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF: Rear Admiral Ibot-Ete Ekwe Ibas (South)
CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF: General A. Oloniṣakin, (South)
CHIEF OF DEFENCE INTELLIGENCE: Air Vice Marshall Morgan Monday (North)
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Retd. Major-General Babagana Monguno (North)
DIRECTOR-GENERAL, Dept of State Security Service, Lawal Musa Daura (North/see family; replacement of Ekpeyong by Buhari)
JUDICIARY
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Mahmud Mohammed (North). It is worth noting that since the end of late Chief Justice Ayo Gabriel Irikefe’s (present-day Edo State) term after two years in 1987 – a period of almost 30 years and tenures of 8 different CJs, including the tenure of the current CJ, NO SOUTHERNER HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO HEAD THE APEX COURT. In Nigeria, far more legal professionals exist in the south than in the north.
It is also noteworthy that Nigeria’s first female CJ of the Supreme Court, retired Ms. Aloma Mariam Muktar is from Kano State (North) while the first (and present) female President of Nigeria’s Courts of Appeal, Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, born in 1950 and called to Nigeria’s bar in 1976 is also from the (North).
CJs
Chief Judge of Federal High Courts: Ibrahim Auta (North). Auta has been dogged by controversies in his career as a judge: the judge, whose Abacha kangaroo tribunal, like Pilate, delivered Ken Saro Wiwa (Ogoni minority and environmental rights) to the hangman. Ironically, he was appointed by President Jonathan, Saro Wiwa’s fellow riverine kinsman but Jonathan was never one with the capability of seeing such a big picture, such minutiae.
EXECUTIVE, et cetera
Retd. General Muhammadu Buhari, President & Minister of Petroleum (North/Katsina)
Professor Yemi Ọṣíbàjò, Vice-President (South/Ogun)
Ministers
Babatunde Fashola, Power, Works and Housing (South/Lagos)
Mustapha Shehuri, State, for Power (North/Borno)
Kemi Adeosun (Ogun), Finance (South/Ogun)
Ibe Kachikwu, Junior Minister for Petroleum (South/Delta)
Udo Udo Udoma, Budget and National Planning (South/Akwa Ibom)
Zainab Ahmed, State, for Budget and National Planning (North/Kaduna)
Okechukwu Enelama, Industry Trade and Investment (South/Abia)
Aisha Abubakar, State, for Trade, Industry and Investment (South/Sokoto)
Rotimi Amaechi, Substantive Minister for Transportation (South/Rivers)
Hadi Sirika, State, for Aviation (North/Katsina)
Isaac Adewole Folorunsho, Health (South/Osun)
Osagie Ehanire, State, for Health (South/Edo)
Usani Usani Uguru, Substantive Minister Niger Delta (South/Cross River)
Claudius Daramola, State, Niger Delta (South/Ondo)
Amina Mohammed, Environment (North/Gombe)
Ibrahim Usman Jibril State, Environment (North/Nassarawa)
Geoffrey Onyeama, Foreign Affairs (South/Enugu)
Khadija Bukar Abba, State, for Foreign Affairs (North/Yobe)
Kayode Fayemi, Solid Minerals (South/Ekiti)
Abubakar Bwari Bawa, State, for Solid Minerals (North/Niger)
Adebayo Shittu, Communications (South/Oyo)
Lai Mohammed, Information (North/Kwara)
Adamu Adamu, Education (North/Bauchi)
Anthony Onwuka, State, for Education (South/Imo)
Audu Ogbeh Agriculture (North/Benue)
Heineken Lokpobiri, State, for Agriculture (South/Bayelsa)
Monsur Dan-Ali,–Defence (North/Zamfara)
Abdulrahman Dambazau, Interior (North/Kano)
Ogbonnaya Onu, Science and Technology (North/Ebonyi)
James Ocholi, State, for Labour (North/Kogi)
Chris Ngige, Labour and Employment (South/Anambra)
Aisha Alhassan, Women Affairs (North/Taraba)
Suleiman Adamu, Water Resources (North/Jigawa)
Solomon Dalong, Youths and Sports (North/Plateau)
Abubakar Malami, Justice (North/Kebbi)
NOTE: ‘Substantive’or without any description is a full/senior minister. “State”/”Junior Minister”, means the same thing.
New Permanent Secretaries
Alhaji Mahmoud Isa-Dutse who was one of three PS whose appointments by the president was rejected because none of them had been in the Civil Service (North); Taiwo Abidogun; Bukar Hassan (North); Wakama Asifieka; Jalal Arabi (North); Sabiu Zakari (North); Obiageli Nwokedi; Aminu Nabegu (North); Bamgbose Oladele, Alo Nwankwo, Shehu Ahmed (North); Ogbonnaya Kalu and Nuratu Batagarawa (North); Christian Ohaa, Bassey Apkanyung, Louis Edozien; Ugo Roy; Shehu Ahmad, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, a ministry that has for a long time, been the preserve of the North (North); Sunday Echono, Ministry of Communications; Alhaji Sabiu Zakari, Ministry of Transportation (North); Mrs Ayotunde Adesugba, Ministry of Information and Culture; Danjuma Sheni, Ministry of Defence (North); Shade Yemi-Esan, Ministry of Education; Fatima Mede, Budget and National Planning; Alhaji Mahmoud Dutse, Ministry of Finance (North); Bulus Lolo, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (North);
Amina Shamaki, Ministry of Health (North); Aliyu Bisalla, Ministry of Industry, of Petroleum Resources (North); Binta Bello, Ministry of Women Affairs;Babatope Ajakaiye, Federal Capital Territory (North); Rabi Jimeta, Ministry of Water Resources (North; minister also from the North); Bukar Hassan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment (North); Wakama Asifieka, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs; Istifanus Fuktur Ministry of Solid Minerals; Christian Ohaa Min of Youth and Sports; Mr. A.G. Magaji, Ministry of Works and Housing (North).
Others include Mr Louis Edozien, Ministry of Power; Jalal Arabi, State House (North); Mohammed Bukar, General Services Office, Office to Sec to Govt … (North); Abbas Mohammed, Ecological Fund Office, OSGF (North) ; Ugo Roy, Council Secretariat Aminu Nabegu, Special Services Office, OSGF (North).
Bamgbose Akindele, Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs Office, OSGF; Alo Nwankwo, Economic Affairs Office, OSGF; Obiageli Nwokedi, Special Duties Office, OSGF; Innocent Ogbonnaya, Career Management Office, OHCSF; S.K.Y. Adelakun, Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, OHCSF, and Mrs Nuratu Batagarawa, Service Policy and Strategies Office, OHCSF (North).
[Appointments and deployments are with effect from November 10, 2015]
Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (North)
Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris (North)
Auditor-General of the Federation, Samuel T. Ukura is a Yar Adua appointee (North/Benue)
Head of Nigeria’s Civil Service: Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita (South)
INEC (the electoral body), Mahmud Yakubu who succeeded Ms. Zakari (see president’s family above) (North)
Legislative Arm
Dr. Abubakar Sola Saraki, Senate President (North/Kwara)
Mr. Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate ” (South/Enugu)
Mr. Yakubu Dogara, House Speaker (North/Bauchi)
Mr. Yusuf Sulaiman Lasun, Deputy Speaker (South/Ọ̀ṣún)
Sources: Wikipedia, websites of various Nigerian government agencies, google & google images,buzznigeria.com,pointblanknews.com,premiumtimesng.com,bellanaija.com,ynaija.com, thebreakingtimes.com,thebreakingtimes.com
Buhari’s relatives Have Taken Over Aso Rock, Govt. says Dr. Junaid Mohammed
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/04/20/niger-police-ban-fulani-herdsmen-from-carrying-guns/
TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2016. 1:45 a.m. [GMT]