Nigeria’s seat of power, Aso Villa, has known little peace since the official declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the March 28 presidential election, with retired Army, Navy and Police chiefs turning the Villa to a Mecca of sorts, seeking to succeed incumbent commandant-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof Ade Abolurin.

The lobbyists, who mostly hail from the northern and western parts of the country, seem to be oblivious of the fact the Civil Defence boss, Abolurin, who carefully nurtured this young organisation from inception and is due for retirement this July, had groomed capable hands to take over the mantle of leadership at the agency.
LEADRSHIP learnt that Prof Abolurin, who is billed to officially step aside on July 17 after serving the Corps for 10 years – two consecutive five-year tenures from July 17, 2005-July 17, 2015 – has refused to favour any officer, insisting that only merit and fairness will determine who the mantle should fall on.

LEADERSHIP reports that in the aftermath of President Muhammad Buhari’s takeover of power, syndicates have invaded Abuja, with the crème de la crème of the Nigerian polity and ex-service chiefs coming to congratulate the president. A large number of them, however, visit to lobby to succeed Abolurin and other positions in the new government. Some of the lobbyists are godfathers who seek the Civil Defence top job for their protégés. A host of them are exploiting all avenues to claw their way into PMB’s cabinet.

As the Presidency continues its compilation of list of would-be heads of paramilitary agencies, chairman and members of the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Board (CDFIPB), some of these jostlers who retired either from the Navy, Army and Police, are getting more frenzied as the days go by in their bid to land the job which they see as a plum one.

According to another source who pleaded not to be named, “even when the process of nomination is not yet completed as nominees must be confirmed by PMB, as with all things political in Nigeria, the nomination and confirmation process can be tricky, time-consuming and corruption-laden. Anything can happen at any time to dim or enhance one’s chances, and so, many lobbyists are not leaving anything to providence.”

He revealed that when he chided one of those jostling intensively for the Civil Defence top job, he responded thus: “You have to be a fool to think that your skills, strength of character, education and intelligence alone will get you anywhere in Nigeria. Perhaps, for smaller and inconsequential positions, but to succeed Abolurin or ambassadorial posts, you’ll need far more than the content of your resume.”

Further investigations revealed that other appointment syndicates and lobby groups who cannot access the Villa usually operate from corner shops, traditional rulers’ palaces and, sometimes, target nocturnal political meetings, especially of PMB’s close associates.

Findings also unravelled that most of the syndicates often claim to have some kind of relationship either with the president or his wife. In some cases, they drop the names of powerful APC leaders like those of national leader Asiwajo Tinubu, national chairman John Oyegun and the traditional ruler of Daura, Buhari’s hometown, among others.
The source told LEADERSHIP that one outstanding feature of the arrowheads of the syndicates is that they all have one title or the other.

He said, “They must be royal fathers, a professor, a Dr, an engineer, architect, surveyor, or accountant, etc. Whatever professional or academic title they claim to have, they usually preface it with a chieftaincy title, i.e. chief Dr, or chief professor, or something like that.”


Meanwhile, a security expert, Mr Abokom Ebetem, has advised President Buhari to go for only credible and competent individuals from within the Corps, who have been nurtured by the outgoing NSCDC boss, as they perfectly understand the mandates and mission of the Corps and would be best suited to sustain and even improve on the landmark achievements made by the Corps in its short span of life.

Ebetem argued that picking an external person who lacks knowledge of the Corps’ core mandates as well as strategies outlined by the agency is capable of jeopardising the giant strides attained by the Abolurin administration.

He specifically advised Buhari not to appoint external elements as they are capable of causing crisis for his administration, since their training and programmes differ. He advised that even if the head of the agency will come from within, the selection should be based on professionalism and merit and not tribalism.

He also commended the incumbent, Abolurin, for adopting a non-interference stance in the selection of his successor.

LEADERSHIP learnt that apart from NSCDC top job, the lobbyists, from both within and outside, are also intensely targeting the top jobs in other paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Prisons and Fire Service, etc.

Findings revealed plans are underway to direct all incumbent chief executives of the aforementioned agencies to forward their retirement letters to the president.

Investigations further revealed that while the president is determined to stamp his imprint and take ownership of the new cabinet, he is very much indebted to many political groups who have a hand in his decisive victory in the March 28 elections.

Another expert, Mr. Ahmed Hassan of the Private Guards Security spoke in the same vein as Ebetem: that putting an external person at the helm of affairs at the NSCDC would be harmful to the outfit.
Hassan also asserted that appointing such lobbyists would amount to a breach of the Act which established the Corps.

He said: “Having read thoroughly the Act which states that commandant-general of the Corps must be in-house members, I think it will be out of place for these lobbyists, syndicates and godfathers to waste their time.

“Above all, if considered, these external persons may not even be well-equipped to uphold Civil Defence’s zero tolerance to corruption. The man, Abolurin, has inculcated the bold steps and strategies of redressing unholy behaviour exhibited by most security personnel.

“I strongly feel that in order to effectively fight vandalism, protect the civil populace and sustain the giant strides attained by the incumbent, and insider should be given the mantle,” he said.

lekkie073:
What of that 'oga at the top' man

They should promote the guy to become the 'oga at the top' daz all

lekkie073:
What of that 'oga at the top' man
They should promote the guy to become the 'oga at the top' daz all

aminho:
An igbo man should take the role!!! Or is it not a service chief? ??