Top APC stalwarts groan as Tinubu appoints Ganduje’s son, daughter’s husband in his cabinet

Lamentations rock the polity over recent appointments by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Many maintained that President Tinubu has so far favoured his friends and political associates at the detriment of ‘competence,’ which he vowed to be the key criterion in the recruitment of his lieutenants, Daily Trust reported.

Barely one month after he was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election, President Tinubu in a statement, declared that neither religion nor ethnicity or other such considerations would determine appointments into his government.

Contrary to that solemn promise, however, some Nigerians are raising great concerns about the tendency of the president towards the appointment of friends, family and associates to positions of authority, in some cases, without proper regard to their qualifications.

Some party leaders and foot soldiers who worked for the victory of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), are also raising voices of concern about being “left out” in the series of appointments President Tinubu has made so far.

Allegations of lopsidedness, which were raised against former President Muhammadu Buhari, have resurfaced.

Some names that have come up when the allegation of cronyism against the president is discussed include the appointment of his daughter’s husband, Oyetunde Ojo as the chief executive officer of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).

Tinubu’s daughter, Folashade Tinubu Ojo, is the Iyaloja of Lagos. Also mentioned is the appointment of the daughter of Chief Bisi Akande, Temitope Ilori, as the director-general of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), as well as the appointment of Umar Abdullahi Ganduje as the Executive Director, Technical Services, Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Umar is the son of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the national chairman of the APC.

APC members worried, promises of patronage yet to be fulfilled

Top APC stalwarts and foot soldiers have expressed grave concerns over the president’s various appointments.

The party stakeholders are reported to be unhappy with Tinubu’s style of appointment since he became president.

Reacting to the development, credible sources also lamented the delay in fulfilling promises of political patronage at the centre.

APC leader says Tinubu's chances in 2027 thin

According to a senior party leader who pleaded anonymity, the president’s 2027 ambition might be in jeopardy since he is now seen as a man perceived to be running a “one-man show” in Abuja and does not care about party members from states he got votes from.

“Most of those who showed unwavering loyalty to him with the hope that their supporters would be rewarded with federal appointments are disappointed,” the source said.

Another source familiar with the workings around the presidency said:

“The president had asked governors to submit names for chief executive officers of agencies, which they did, but he failed to act on those names till date.”

Another source who pleaded anonymity disclose that the idea of governors submitting names was to correct the alleged infractions noticed in ministerial positions and other previous appointments by those people the president trusted.

“It is now evident to those governors and other stakeholders that the president has dumped the list he asked them to submit as it is now obvious that he is running a one-man government with his kinsmen from Lagos and Osun,” he lamented.