Sequel to reading Yemi Adebowale’s piece titled “I thought Buhari would hit the ground running” published June 6, 2015 by Thisday Newspaper via http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/i-thought-buhari-would-hit-the-ground-running/211273/ (https://www.nairaland.com/2361000/buhari-failing-already-yemi-adebowale), I utterly disagree with the writer’s assertiveness of the yet-to-be-clarified intents and thoughts of the new administration exuded through the content of the article, tantamount to misleading undiscerning members of the populace. I am therefore moved to share my objective candid opinion and rejoinder on the issues raised in the article.

I start by saying no new Chief Executive Officer of a diversified conglomerate with 180 million shareholders will start his first week in Office implementing a pre-appointment plan without understudying the handover notes of his predecessor and confirming assumptions made.

I completely support the clamour for immediate action and results from the new administration by the different sections of the electorate considering the nature of campaign propaganda and promises ahead of the last elections which saw Nigerians voting out the then incumbent President and voting in a new President. The opposition at the time, the All Progressive Congress spared no dagger in keeping the last administration on its toes and tumbling the administration over when there is an obvious gaffe in decision or action. This political activism led to the outcome of the last election, an unprecedented feat in our nascent democratic history. To this end, I have no sympathy for President Buhari because it is a new dawn where every Nigerian has a voice (the gains of social media) and any element of torpor or enervation will not be tolerated. However, I am a strong believer in Buharism (the expectations of fight against corruption, leadership by example, decisive actions for growth and doctrine of integrity) and believe it is too early to use a sledge hammer on this administration irrespective of how prepared the new team seemed to be ahead of the elections or lag time between winning elections and taking over.

True to fact, the new administration has been in power effectively for a week. However, I do not expect appointment of new Ministers within this period. Notwithstanding the ground work and decisions taken during the post election/pre swearing in period, detailed final assessment is required to prune the pre-selected appointees and nominees ahead of a public declaration. I expect nominees review the hand over documentation received from the transition committee for the respective Ministries and submit their indicative and preliminary course of action, by affirming their initial assumptions are in order or revisiting their initial proposals. This will reassure that the appointees are duly fit for the roles. Ministerial appointments by mere recommendation and perusal of resume should no longer be the case. It is imperative that experts in the respective fields with a suitable plan be appointed henceforth to undertake these portfolios. Following this route will have its time implications but with better results. Hence I am in concurrence with the immediate appointment of Special Advisers and suggest appointment of Ministers take palce within a month, that is on or before June 29, 2015. It took both Yaradua and Jonathan two months to appoint their Ministers. We should be reminded that the United Kingdom (David Cameron) and United States of America (Barack Obama) have an astute record keeping database to enable any Cabinet appointee prompt access to most government related information to enable the Prime Minister and President appoint cabinet members within a day, 48 hours or a week. In Nigeria, record keeping and dissemination to the public is work in Progress.

The appointment of Femi Adesina and Garba Sheu as Special Adviser and Senior Special Assistant Media / Publicity to manage the Administration’s media and Public Affairs respectively in my opinion is absolutely apt. It is expected that the Special Adviser will be directly responsible for the President’s press releases and daily media operations within the seat of Government while the Senior Special Assistant will address the print, electronic and social media comments, commentaries, opinions and feedback from the electorate and key stakeholders. They are also expected to support eachother’s role where pertinent. Media and Publicity is a key segment and it is therefore pertinent to ensure apposite feedback is given to the populace in tandem and consistent with the Executive’s directives and positions on issues of discussion. It is strongly believed that the new team when compared to the trio of Reuben Abati (Special Adviser on Media and Publicity) Doyin Okupe (Senior Special Assistant, Public Affairs), and Reno Omokri (Special Assistant on New Media) will perform astutely better within the ambits of professional conduct.

Ahead of sacking Service Chiefs, as suggested in the article under focus, it is important to debrief the Chiefs accordingly due to the sensitivity of their respective positions. Notwithstanding the handover notes obtained from the past administration, the Status of the hydra-headed insurgency should be formally presented to the new administration by the present leads to include progress made so far, terms of the international joint military task force, ongoing efforts at abating and fighting the melee, health check of the respective Military arms, ongoing procurement, expectations and targets. The President’s meeting with these Chiefs on Tuesday June 2, 2015 (his second official working day) is an appropriate step and his subsequent visit to international partners, Niger and Chad solely for this course is laudable. The way forward to address the insurgents has to be strategic and noetic decisions cannot be taken if the key helmsman does not have a detailed understanding of the problem and status. Blueprints ahead of elections are only indicative and true state of affairs can only be ascertained when in charge.

The details of the President’s intent to relocate the Headquarters of the Military to Maiduguri are unknown. It may be figurative. I do not think that the Military Headquarters can be completely moved from the seat of power to the centre of the action against the insurgents. However, there may be nothing wrong in moving the key departments requisite to enhance the value chain to collocate close to the centre of the area of focus for better effectiveness and efficiency. We should all remember that the insurgency would have been curbed if the past administration had taken decisive decisions early enough to overwhelm the insurgents before they grew wings and flew everywhere with their paroxysm of sorrow. My interpretation of the President’s remarks is the need for an empowered robust team of soldiers, officers and senior executives for prompt intelligence gathering, assessment and effective decision making at the centre of the debacle. With the right risk assessment and planning, I believe this will boost the morale of the gallant men and women involved, inspire success and lead to the end of this fiasco.

I strongly believe that there is an indicative template and roadmap to addressing the power crisis that has besieged the country since time immemorial. The President’s remarks contained in the inaugural speech in deference to “careful studies are underway during this transition to identify the quickest ways, safest and most effective ways to bring light and relief to Nigerians” should not warrant any harangue. Any existing indicative blueprint must be discussed with all key stakeholders before affirmation and approval for use. The phrase “careful studies” refer to the final phase of this process. The past Governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola the proponent of devolution and decentralisation of Power generation and former Vice President Abubakar Atiku (referred to in the article) who keenly contested the primaries with the incumbent are both members of the APC and I believe, they are, with other adept individuals and professionals in the APC fold are making erudite contributions to the process.

What I feel is responsible for the present bugaboo and agitation by the public is ineffective communication and Nigerians, including Yemi Adebowale cannot be blamed. Nigerians are now more enlightened and are ready to lock forces to provide a formidable and objective opposition irrespective of ethno-political divides. Moving forward, I strongly advise the new media team commence work immediately by providing Nigerians with timelines for the first set of deliverables such as when the President and his Vice will declare publicly their assets, when they will move to their official residences and offices, when Ministers will be appointed, when the finalised draft on the panacea to the Power Crisis will be submitted and other related deliverables requiring immediate feedback to Nigerians. This is the change expected by Nigerians to effectively track and monitor progress.

Finally, I reiterate that I have no sympathy for Buhari and his team for the outburst from Nigerians demanding immediate performance, it is in accordance with the pre-election impression created; however, I choose to realistically set timeline targets of 100 days, 6 months and 1 year as milestones for detailed performance evaluation. In between, comments relating to national issues shall be discussed. My belief in Buharism fostered by the new administration under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo to drive the much desired change remains resolute and unabashed. I wish them well.

Cc
Seun, lalasticlala, beremx, barcanista, cramjones, obiagelli, ngeneukwuenu, PerfectNg

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I Have No Sympathy For Buhari and I do not Believe In the scam called Buharism.

I see this trope of the irrationality of expecting ministers to be nominated within one week of Buhari's inauguration being deployed to explain away the lack of ministerial nominees. But this only illustrates that Nigerian political discourse matches the stereotype of Nigerians as a shamelessly mendacious people. It was only a few weeks ago that Buhari was represented at an event by Dr Kayode Fayemi where the following was said:

3. A cabinet will be announced very quickly, within one week of inauguration; anyone with a whiff of corruption or other tainting will not be on the cabinet; GMB’s body language will reflect zero tolerance for corruption.

http://newsheadline.com.ng/blog/2015/04/15/summary-of-buharis-policies-as-outlined-by-dr-kayode-fayemi-director-of-policies-for-apc-while-representing-gen-buhari-at-lbs-breakfast-meeting/

See same here:http://dailypost.ng/2015/04/15/buhari-to-announce-his-ministers-one-week-after-may-29-inauguration/

Mogidi:
I Have No Sympathy For Buhari and I do not Believe In the scam called Buharism.

May you live long enough to experience a New Nigeria under Buhari.

I promise to apologize profusely and openly denounce my belief in Buharism on May 29, 2016 (God willing) if Buhari fails or makes any effort to be 50% as unassuming as the past President Jonathan!

realborn:


May you live long enough to experience a New Nigeria under Buhari.

I promise to apologize profusely and openly denounce my belief in Buharism on May 29, 2016 (God willing) if Buhari fails or makes any effort to be 50% as unassuming as the past President Jonathan!

I can't help but agree with you.

4Play:
I see this trope of the irrationality of expecting ministers to be nominated within one week of Buhari's inauguration being deployed to explain away the lack of ministerial nominees. But this only illustrates that Nigerian political discourse matches the stereotype of Nigerians as a shamelessly mendacious people. It was only a few weeks ago that Buhari was represented at an event by Dr Kayode Fayemi where the following was said:



http://newsheadline.com.ng/blog/2015/04/15/summary-of-buharis-policies-as-outlined-by-dr-kayode-fayemi-director-of-policies-for-apc-while-representing-gen-buhari-at-lbs-breakfast-meeting/

See same here:http://dailypost.ng/2015/04/15/buhari-to-announce-his-ministers-one-week-after-may-29-inauguration/

The truth is that during the campaign and post election periods, there were mass of monumental emotional exuberance leading to all manners of feel good pledges which this new team can be said to also be guilty of. Hence no sympathy for the reaction of Nigerians to these verbal reckless unrealistic undertaken.

What is however key is for objective reproval and criticism towards those realistic commitments in their campaign manifesto. For example, it makes no empirical sense to hound Buhari on the rumored 1 dollar to 1 naira exchange rate debacle; whether he said it or not, it is not worthy of debate in an intelligent circle of discussion.

Mogidi:


I can't help but agree with you.

Awesome man. The most subtle response I have read from you despite the divergence in views.

I owe you a bottle of whiskey!