DURING his first term in office, the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, was turned into a sort of "Mecca", because PresidentBuhari had to play the neutral arbiter and father of the nation, always on hand to settle feuds between elected/political appointees who, in spite of designated powers, failed to appreciate their high pedestal! But this time around, he had given marching orders to checkmate the influx of the Toms, Dicks and Harrys, whom his Chief of Staff (COS), must now properly screen for appointments to avoid administrative distractions!
In a statement at the conclusion of a two-day induction retreat for 43 ministers-designate, presidential aides, and other top government functionaries, on Tuesday, 20th August, 2019, the President was very categorical that he would not entertain an extension for frivolities in his second term as he enjoined the ministers to hit the ground and work for the People of Nigeria, from whom they DERIVE THEIR POWERS to function!
"In terms of co-ordination, kindly ensure that all submissions for my attention or meeting requests be CHANNELLED through the Chief of Staff, while all Federal Executive Council matters be co-ordinated through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation," said the President unequivocally. He also urge the new ministers to engage and benefit from the experience of the older ministers and former governors in the cabinet, because FOUR years is "not a very long time"! The ministers were eventually inaugurated and assigned portfolios on Wednesday, 21st August, 2019, about THREE MONTHS into the new administration.
BUT most critics faulted the presidential directive and described it as high-handed, despotic and very unconstitutional as it has reduced ministers into serfdom/subjection of an oligarchic government!
Further in his address, the President confirmed that solutions that would address collaborative, purposeful and quicker results in actualising a more prosperous Nigeria in the areas of adequate security, macro-economic stability through agriculture and food security, the anti corruption war, industrialisation, energy security for petroleum products/electricity, transportation SMEs, human capital development for social inclusion, transportation, housing, financing and consumer credit facilities for a greater percentage of POOR PEOPLE, were fully researched/discussed at the retreat and must be implemented for them to access regular good/nutritional food, quality education for their children, including affordable healthcare for their families without delay!
He also assured Nigerians that solid foundations for progress had been established through the recapture of 18 Local governments previously held by Boko Haram in the North East while revamping of decayed infrastructures through investments in Road and Rail infrastructures, diversification of the economy from Oil towards Agriculture and Industrialization in spite of the sordid state of the economy and the huge legacy debts bequeathed to his administration in 2015, were pursued with dedicated/patriotic vigour!

THOSE who have criticised the seemingly derogatory directive to the ministers had freedom of expression but no rights to stop the President who, according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chapter VI, Sections 147 (1) - (6) and 148 (1) (2) (a) - (c), possess the prerogative and absolute authority to hire whom to work with, dictate contract terms, conditions of service and duration! For instance, the President could, at any time during the "marriage", revise the terms, reshuffle the cabinet or even FIRE those performing below expectations without infringing "pre-nuptial agreements", because in the final analysis, ACCOUNTABILITY WOULD BE DEMANDED FROM HIM BY THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED HIM TO POWER AND NOT HIS APPOINTEES!


CHIEF OF STAFF SHOULD NOT BE MADE THE SCAPE GOAT!
Eighty-one-year old Abba Kyari, (OON), a two-time Chief of Staff to President Buhari, is no mean personality. He was educated at the Universities of Cambridge and Warwick, attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and International Institute for Management Development, (IMD), Harvard Business School and possesses a Masters degree; first appointed to the position on 27th August 2015 and his main pre-occupation was always to organize the daily presidential itineraries and ensuring that his principal was well-informed in advance to avoid administrative negligence or diplomatic blunders; and ensure perfect/ingenious security network within the entire presidential complex! He is naturally unassuming; he is a silent backstage worker whose immense contributions could not be wished away for good governance!
During his first tenure, he caved under much pressure from all directions of the polity; from appointed ministers, secretary to government, heads of service and parastals, political jobbers in the corridors of power, high profile contractors, captains of industries, organised labour, lobbyists, protesters, etc, etc., because it was the first term of his principal after a long break from martial governance! The President then, had to be very accommodative as he converted to a new trajectory in democracy but this time around he has barred them all from barging into the Villa as if it were a Village Square where the "baale" had no prerogative!


WOULD ABBA KYARI HAVE MERCY ON THE AGGRIEVED?
What would be the fate of the thousands of thousands of petitioners who can only communicate their president through the mails when the men of timber and calibre were barred from free access to the Aso Rock Office? We have it on credible authority that Mr. President was always oblivious to the pains of the aggrieved from one administration to another because documented petitions ended in COS trash bins - in most cases without any form of acknowledgement, even when the addressee was personalized! We want to believe that the presidential directive was a BLANKET CHEQUE to deprive aggrieved citizens from seeking redress from their CHIEF SERVANT who promised to cater for their welfare at all times!


THE BREAKDOWN OF THE CABINET AND PORTFOLIOS!
The list contained 14 former ministers, 29 new names consisting 7 females. The 14 ministers retained their portfolios - Federal Capital Territory, Labour and Employment, Education, Science and Technology, Health, Foreign Affairs, Water Resources; Finance, Aviation, Justice, Information and Culture, Works and Housing, Transportation. Osagie Ehanire (Edo State was) - was made substantive Minister of Health while, Mustapha Babs Shehuri (Bornu State) - was moved from Power, Works and Housing as Minister of State, to Agriculture and Rural Development, in the same capacity.

NEW MINISTERS: Dr. Ikechukwu Ogah (Abia State), Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development; Sharon Ikeazor (Anambra State), -Minister of State, Environment; Ambassador Katagun (Bauchi State), - Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment; Clement Ike, (Edo State) - Minister, Budget and National Planning; Isa Pantami, (Gombe State) - Minister of Communications; Emeka Nwajiuba, (Imo State) -Minister of State, Education; Muhammad Mahmood, (Kaduna State) - Minister of Envirionment; Sabo Nanono, (Kano State) - Minister of Agriculture and Development; Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi, (Kano State) - Minister of Defence; Ramatu, Tijjani (Kogi State) - Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Goddy Jedi Agba, (Cross River) - Minister of State, Power; Mohammed H. Abdulahi, (Nasarawa State) - Minister of State, Science and Technology; Zubair Dada, (Niger State) - Minister of State, Foreign Affairs; Sunday Dare, (Oyo State) - Minister of Youths and Sports; Maigarai Dingyadi, (Sokoto State) - Minister of Police Affairs; a brand new Ministry Sale Mamman, (Taraba State) - Minister of Power; Abubakar D. Aliyu, (Yobe State) - Minister of State, Works and Housing; Sadiya Umar Faruk, (Zamfara State) - Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; a brand new Ministry.

FORMER GOVERNORS AND SENATORS: Ex-Governor Timipre Sylva, new Minister of State, Petroleum under the President; Ex-Governor/serving Senator George Akume (Benue State), Minister of new Ministry of Special Duties; Ex-Governor Richard Adeniyi Adebayo, (Ekiti State) - Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Ex-Senator, Gbemisola Saraki, (Kwara State) - Minister of State, Transportation; Ex-Senator, Adeleke Mamora, (Lagos State) - Minister of State, Health; Olamilekan Adegbite, (Ogun State) - Minister of Mines and Steel Development; 'Tayo Alasoadura, (Ondo State) - Minister of State, Labour; Paulen Talen, Ex Deputy Governor (Plateau State) - Minister of Women Affairs;


EXPECTATIONS FROM THE NEW SQUAD OF LUCKY MARSHALS!
They should take the assignment as an opportunity to serve Nigerians righteously NOT because it was their TURN to share the NATIONAL CAKE! Nigerians MUST watch and monitor them very closely - especially - former governors and ministers who are back in the saddle to continue where they stopped in the first term and might likely relax! Their first task is to ensure that Nigeria attained recognition as one of the 20 economically-viable country in the year 2020 and also achieve the lofty ideals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), for African nations. Equally important is the fact that they MUST exhibit exemplary disposition: declare their assets on assumption of office, be content with their remunerations, avoid criminal tendencies through bribery and corruption and ensure they would not manipulate the Treasury Single Account (TSA), for illicit pecuniary gains!
RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS AN NATION; SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE. (Proverbs. 14: 34).


I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066. G-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.