BAYO OLUWASANMI FROM SAHARA REPORTERS
Nigeria claims it operates a democratic system of government, but the country remains a functioning anarchy given the intractable problems of poverty, unemployment, terrorism, violence, and corruption, that make the country ungovernable. The failure of the government to deliver basic services seems to have sustained renewed social unrest from time to time in the country.
The first judgment call of a president is the ability to choose the most qualified as cabinet ministers who will help him carry out his vision. For the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I’ll urge Tinubu to select men and women neck-deep in a veritable eruption of corruption scandals. They must carry a barrage of scandals – unmistakable assurance that corruption will be a thing of the past in the new administration.
Here’s my pick for Tinubu’s cabinet:
1. Kayode Fayemi: Former Governor of Ekiti State. He also served as federal minister of steel. He allegedly stole a whopping $40 million from the country’s treasury and stashed some of the loot in Ghana.
2. Rauf Aregbesola: Current Minister of Interior. Before that, he was Governor of Osun State. He allegedly milked Osun State to the tune of over $60 million.
3. Rabiu Kwankwaso: Governor Kano State from 1999-2003. He allegedly stole over $100 million as a Governor of Kano State.
4. Sule Lamido: Served as foreign affairs minister of Nigeria from 1999-2003. He was elected Governor of Jigawa State in April 2007. He allegedly stole over $110 million between 2007 and 2015. Out of that amount, $50 million was traced to his son’s bank accounts.
5. Amina Mohammed: Founder of Afri-Project Consortium that was in charge of all PTF projects during Abacha’s regime. She allegedly stole about $125 million from PTF accounts from 1994-1998.
6. James Ibori: Governor of Delta State from 29th May 1999-29th May 2007. He stole over $150 million from 1999-2007 as Governor of Delta State.
7. Atiku Abubakar: An astute businessman. Through corrupt deals, he allegedly stole over $500 million from 1999-2007.
8. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi: Former Governor of Rivers State from 2007-2015. Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999-2007. From 2007 to 2015, he allegedly stole over $700 million and $150 million from the Nigerian treasury and used that money to sponsor Buhari and APC.
9. Babatunde Fashola: Currently federal minister of Works and Housing. Former Governor of Lagos State from 29th May 2007-29th May 2015. He drilled boreholes for over N100 million each. He built a kilometer road for N1 billion. He allegedly stole over $900 million from 2007-2015.
10. Nasir El Rufai: Governor Kaduna State. A former FCT minister. It is estimated that he allegedly stole over $1 billion from 2003-2007.
11. Bukola Saraki: Served as 13th Senate President from 2015-2019. Served as Governor of Kwara State from 2003-2011. He has allegedly stolen over $1.1 billion from the Nigerian treasury.
12. Sanusi Lamido: Became the 14th Emir of Kano on 8th June 2014. Dethroned on 9th March 2020 by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. He was a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He allegedly stole over $1.2 billion as CBN Governor from 2008-2014.
Mr. President-elect, congratulations!
