South-west group asks Tinubu to retain Buhari’s outstanding appointees

A group, South-West Professional Youths Network, has asked President Bola Tinubu to retain “outstanding appointees” of his predecessor.

In a statement, Seun AdeAanu, convener, South-West Professional Youths Network, asked Tinubu to keep good hands of Buhari’s cabinet.

“We are a leading youth group in the South-West of Nigeria dedicated to political fairness and progress.”

“We congratulate President Bola Tinubu for his inauguration as the 16th President of Nigeria yesterday. His emergence as the President of this great Nation is a reward for doggedness, determination and political capacity.

“However, we want to address the pressing matter of All Progressives Congress (APC) political appointees and offer our candid advice and recommendations to President Tinubu.

“We have thoroughly assessed the situation and believe that the following actions should be considered to address this critical issue effectively:

” Clearly define the objective of his administration: We advise President Tinubu to define a clear goal for his administration in this new dispensation. This will provide a focused direction and ensure that efforts are aligned towards achieving the desired outcome.

“Engage stakeholders: To develop a comprehensive solution, it is essential to engage relevant stakeholders, including experts, organisations, and, most importantly, serving appointees of the federal government. Their input, insights, and expertise will provide a holistic perspective and contribute to developing effective strategies for the new administration.

“Assess policy options: It is crucial to explore different policy options regarding the Renewed Hope mantra of the Tinubu administration. The President should evaluate each option’s potential impact, feasibility, and long-term sustainability. This analysis should consider both short-term remedies and long-term solutions to address the root causes of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.

“Communicate effectively: Transparency and effective communication are critical to successful leadership. President Tinubu should communicate openly and transparently with the public, providing regular updates on progress, challenges, and decisions to address any issue.

“Ensure continuity: Government is supposed to be continuous. And in this case, the immediate past President and the incumbent are from the same party – APC. Our advice to President Tinubu is to identify the outstanding appointees of Buhari and retain them as a reward for their hard work and dedication. President Tinubu has promised to hit the ground running, and one of the ways he can do that is to work with MD/CEOs of some government agencies and consolidate on their achievements.

“Appointment must be based on merits: President Tinubu must ignore political jobbers already jostling for some positions in government. Nigeria should come first when it comes to appointments. Some of the current government appointees have delivered on their mandate and gone above and beyond to ensure the dividends of democracy are felt by Nigerians.”

The convener listed some of the persons whom he said deserve being retained based on their performance in office.

“We urge President Tinubu to identify exceptional appointees in government and reward them by retaining them in their positions.

“For instance, the current Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Engr Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, has repositioned the agency for effectiveness and efficiency in its project delivery mandate. An agency like the REA, not known before, is now a household name in Nigeria due to the achievements of Engr. Ahmad, which includes public health and emergency healthcare delivery through the deployment of clean and sustainable energy. The agency’s strategic programmes include the #EnergizingEducationProgramme, “COVID-19 and BEYOND” programme, and the “Energy For All – Mass Rural Electrification” Programme has impacted the lives of Nigerians, especially at the rural level, nationwide.

“The chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa, is another outstanding appointee in the Buhari administration. Marwa’s Offensive Action operation, launched a few days after he resumed office, has produced results. Almost 20,000 arrests have been made, over 3,000 convictions recorded, and more than 5 kg of drugs seized within a year.

“There are others, like the NNPCL boss, Mele Kyari, who have embarked on far-reaching reforms in the oil and gas sector. His innovative approach to managing Nigeria’s oil and gas resources has also led to the discovery of new oil and gas reserves in the country.

“Prince Paul Ikonne, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, has provided gainful employment opportunities for rural people through his “Aggressive Food Production” projects, raised rural incomes and improved the general living standards in rural areas.

“These agency CEOs and many more are making the APC and Nigeria proud, and they should be retained in their positions.”