FACT CHECK: Are 50 percent of those in Buhari’s govt PDP members?

Hameed Ali, comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), recently made headlines over his claim that 50 percent of those in the current All Progressives Congress (APC) administration are from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Today, with all sense of responsibility, I want to say that we have 50 percent of PDP in our government. How can we move forward with this load? How can we achieve our target with this load?” he had asked at a programme organised by the Buhari Support Organisations (BSO).

Although Ali did not go into details, from the context in which he spoke, it was clear that he was referring to those who defected to APC from PDP.

PDP BELIEVES ITS MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR APC’S VICTORY

Time and again, the opposition party has argued that APC rode to power on its back. In other words, it believes that the ruling party wouldn’t have won the last general election without the support of PDP-groomed politicians.

Rotimi Amaechi, director-general of the APC presidential campaign team, was a strong member of the PDP, having served his two terms as speaker of the Rivers state house of assembly and six of his eight years as governor under the platform of the party.

While Amaechi is one of the former PDP members in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, it would be difficult to prove the percentage claimed by Ali.

Among the 37 ministers appointed by Buhari are technocrats and retired military officers who have had nothing to do with partisan politics. Looking at the ministerial list in whole, only six – including Amaechi – are former PDP members.

The other five are Udo Udoma (budget and national planning), Chris Ngige (labour and employment), Audu Ogbeh (agriculture and rural development), Aisha Alhassan (women affairs), and Heineken Lokpobiri (state for agriculture and rural development).

PDP CALLING SHOT IN BUHARI’S GOVERNMENT?

Ali also claimed that the PDP members are “calling the shots” in the current administration.

“Today, we have members of PDP calling the shots. That is what we will begin to fight for, we will fight for our right position, our vision and our mission for this government,” Ali said.

Five out of the six slots given to those Ali considers as members of the opposition party are key ministries. Only Lokpobiri is a junior minister, meaning that the remaining five are in the position to take key decisions unlike Lokpobiri who needs the approval of the senior minister, who in this case is a “converted” APC member like him.

If by taking key decisions, Ali meant PDP was in charge, it is clear that five people cannot be as powerful as 32.

Away from the ministerial appointees, the presidency has released a list of 157 appointments made by Buhari since he assumed office on May 29. Majority of those on the list are not politicians, not to talk of having an affiliation to PDP.

It was released in response to a newspaper report that Buhari has favoured more northerners than southerners.

On the list, former PDP members are: Ita Enag, senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters (senate), Kawu Sumaila, senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters (house of representatives), and Dakuku Peterside, director-general, Nigeria Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA).

In this case, Ali’s claim cannot hold water because there are only four former PDP members out of 159.

Given the fact that he was involved in a row with the senate, the customs’ CG might have had federal lawmakers in mind when he made that utterance.

As it stands, the two chambers of the national assembly are headed by former PDP members: Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives.

Both men, though not appointees of Buhari, play key roles in the government but be that as it may, it is not valid to make such a controversial remark.

Conclusion: Ali’s statement is false. There is no evidence that 50 percent of those in Buhari’s administration are from the PDP. The facts are to the contrary.