Buhari’s Order on Political Appointees Shakes Tables in MDAs
LAI MOHAMMED
The directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to members of his cabinet vying for elective offices for 2023 must resign on or before Monday next week is shaking tables in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.
The order which has received widespread acceptance by Nigerians across the country is however having mixed reactions in MDAs apparently because of political responsiveness of employees.
Indications are that a good number of employees want political appointees to resign because of the negative effect of their continued stay in office at a time they are neck deep in the election.
Some employees are however not happy about the order on the political appointees apparently because of political interest, their connections with the latter.
But the strong argument is that in real life, one cannot eat his cake and still have it, meaning that the political appointees cannot continue to remain in office while pursuing their political ambitions because of the implications.
The continued stay in office of the appointees is believed to have had some negative effect on the operations of the MDAs as some key staff are involved in politicking as the politicians move from one place to the other for consultations.
This scenario, it was gathered has affected most of the MDAs, a source said.
Following the directive, most of the affected Ministers have started tendering their letters of resignation.
Among ministers affected by the order include Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who has declared interest for the governorship of Kebbi State, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen who is running for the Senate seat in Plateau, Ministers of Transportation, Niger Delta, Labour and Employment, Rotimi Amaechi and Chris Ngige respectively who have indicated interest to run for the Presidency.
The Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar, who is interested in Abia State governorship election is also among those affected.
Amaechi is among the Ministers that have as at Wednesday resigned following the directive from the President.
The Minister of Information had said in a statement, “the mandate I have from the President is to announce that all members of the Federal Executive Council contesting for elective office must resign their ministerial cabinet appointments on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.”
He announced that order may be extended to non-cabinet members who have indicated interest to contest election.
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