Obasanjo angry with Yar’Adua over Kingibe 3/6/2007

By Joseph Ogunsemi

The cordial relationship between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the incumbent, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, may soon become sour if feelers from Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, are anything to go by.
Sources close to the Villa said that Obasanjo was not happy with President Yar’Adua over the appointment of Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

When Kingibe, former Chairman of the defunct Social Demcoratic Party (SDP) and running mate to the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election was named the new SGF, Obasanjo was said to have been taken aback having not been involved in the decision.
A visibly angry Obasanjo who was instrumental to the emergence of Yar’Adua, former governor of Katsina State, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard bearer was said to have asked the National Chairman of the party to summon an emergency meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to deliberate on Kingibe’s matter and other key appointments.

According to The Nation’s source, Ali, whose wife’s house in Abuja was demolished by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) shortly before Obasanjo left office, politely declined the instruction, saying that only Yar’Adua, the current PDP leader could call for such a meeting.

Ali’s response, The Nation gathered, rattled Obasanjo, who terminated the discussion abruptly.

It is however not clear if President Yar’Adua has been able to pacify Obasanjo over the issue.

Sources said Yar’Adua was being "careful" not to incur the wrath of Obasanjo so soon, and has therefore been cautious in the choice of principal officers of the National Assembly for which the ex-president has shown keen interest.

Obasanjo is said to be supporting Senator David Mark, a retired army general from Benue State for the Senate President. Mark’s choice has however been opposed by most legislators.

Some Senators have vowed to reject the imposition of officers on them going by the experience in the last dispensation when such officers were tied to the aprons of their benefactors.

Outgoing Senate President Ken Nnamani advised the in-coming Senators to reject Obasanjo’s hand-picked leadership and elect leaders of their choice.

"It will not serve any useful purpose to impose a Senate President against the wishes of majority of the Senators," Nnamani stated.

The new SGF, Kingibe, while taking over from his predecessor, Chief Ufot Ekaette stated that the eight years of Obasanjo’s reforms were gone, saying, "we’re now in the era of restoration, Yar’Adua’s administration would be different from Obasanjo’s."

Kingibe said that Yar’Adua’s government would focus on policies and programmes that would address the needs of the people.

"It would be wrong for people to expect uniformity of system with Obasanjo’s administration. Our system must definitely differ from Obasanjo’s.

"We shall consolidate the gains of the past years and build new structures to achieve the objectives of vision 2020," Kingibe maintained.

McKren:

One of the PDP's credible claim to the Yaradua/Goodluck ticket is generational shift.
We thought it was time to break free from the past and give young men a chance, so telling us Yaradua can appoint his forefathers if he so wish is simply not what Nigerians voted for.

It makes nonsense of the whole concept of generational shift, and new ideas.

Afam:

I will rather work with an old man that knows his stuff than trust a young man that is not up to speed with what he should know.
Age is not an overiding criteria for deciding who will be more productive even in a typical work environment.

Beyond the brand names and beautiful adverts we see on TV of big organisations are professors and technicians that are closer to 60 years in some cases bringing to the fore experience they gathered over the years.

The statement in bold interests me a lot, I am glad you agree that Nigerians voted for Yar'adua in the last elections, never mind the likes of Buhari and Atiku that cannot manage electoral defeats.

McKren:

The old men we are talking about have been part and parcel of the failure called Nigeria.

For the records, I never wished for Atiku and Buhari Presidency.

Obasanjo angry with Yar’Adua over Kingibe

ajadrage:

I do not see any reason why? Was anybody angry with baba when he chose Ufot?

Afam:

Ask them ooo. Maybe Ufot was under 35years when he was appointed.

We like applying the same standards differently depending on the target.

McKren:

Must we make the same mistake twice? What did Ufot Ekaete achieve other than to intentionally misplace Okigbo report??

Yar'adua is picking people he believes he can work with and for the simple fact that he will either be blamed or praised for his failures or achievements respectively I believe that he should be given free hand to choose whoever he wants to choose for any post whatsoever.

docokwy:

Afam, I bu anu ofia. Ewu.

GNature:


Rather than appointing the likes of Kingibe, Yar 'Adua should take a cue from the accomplishments of OBJ's second term appointees so we can move this
country forward.

laudate:

Afam, biko lets continue with the topic. Don't let this 'mumu' get under your skin with his pathetic round of insults. We all know he has nothing upstairs, in that empty barrel he calls a brain!

laudate:

What really is the job of the Secretary to the Federal Government? Can anyone answer that? The portfolio requires someone who is conversant with civil service rules & regulations, procedures, activities etc. A career civil servant is best suited for the job. Not an academic from a Bretton Woods institution or any entrepreneur who feels by cutting corners to make a quick buck, he can achieve success on his own terms. As an SGF, you are meant to be seen & not heard. Implement the EO's (or Executive Orders), while using the F.I's (i.e. Financial Instructions) as a guide. Simple.

So wether the person is over fifty or under thirty is not the issue. Does he or she know what needs to be done, and is he or she willing and able, to do what needs to be done?

laudate:



What really is the job of the Secretary to the Federal Government? Can anyone answer that? The portfolio requires someone who is conversant with civil service rules & regulations, procedures, activities etc. A career civil servant is best suited for the job. Not an academic from a Bretton Woods institution or any entrepreneur who feels by cutting corners to make a quick buck, he can achieve success on his own terms. As an SGF, you are meant to be seen & not heard. Implement the EO's (or Executive Orders), while using the F.I's (i.e. Financial Instructions) as a guide. Simple.

So wether the person is over fifty or under thirty is not the issue. Does he or she know what needs to be done, and is he or she willing and able, to do what needs to be done?

Afam:

I am with you on this. What are the expectations of a SFG?