Tell of two characters:

• Sends 19 new ministerial nominees to Senate • Alake seeks stiffer regulations for social media
• With 47 nominees, Tinubu sets new record for highest number of Ministers since 1999
• Bosun Tijani: Young founder of Nigeria’s biggest tech hub makes fresh list
• 20 SAs, SSAs to have cabinet status • Despite present sufferings, Tinubu’s policy approval rating is 2x Buhari’s

Despite persistent calls for a drastic reduction in the cost of governance amid dwindling revenue and burgeoning debt profile, President Bola Tinubu yesterday forwarded a fresh list of 19 ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, taking the number of nominees to an unprecedented 47.

This is in addition to the earlier list of 20 Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), Special Assistants (SAs) and Personal Assistants (PAs) appointed by the President.

Recall that The Guardian had exclusively reported three weeks ago that barring last minute change, the cabinet will be as bloated as that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, but with major realignments in portfolios.

Though a 42-member cabinet was being expected because each state is constitutionally mandated to have a representative and as it was done by the last administration, an inclusion of six more Ministers representing each of the six geological zones, the shape of the new cabinet, as gathered, will also include the 20 Special Advisers, as SAs were expected to contribute to discussions at the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings.

But against current realities, especially rising hardship occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy among other policies introduced by the new administration, President Tinubu yesterday unveiled the second batch of his Ministers, ballooning the yet-to-be inaugurated FEC to a near 70-member Cabinet.

This is shattering and surpassing all known records. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo began the fourth republic with 27 Ministers between 1999-2003 and in his second term (2003-2007), he had 30 Ministers. The late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007-2010) inaugurated 39 Ministers, introducing the Minister of State nomenclature to accommodate all states of the federation and the Federal Cabinet Territory (FCT) in his cabinet.

Former President Jonathan (2011-2015) reduced his cabinet to 33 but a year to his re-election, in 2014, he reshuffled his cabinet and injected some politicians in what he termed ‘injury time addition’ to shore up his chances of winning the 2015 election. This took up the numbers of Ministers back to 37.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2023) introduced the extra bonus of six geopolitical zones nominees to his cabinet to take the tally to 42.

But while President Tinubu, though urged to reduce his cabinet, was expected to still maintain the 42-man cabinet framework, no one anticipated it would be an expanded cabinet, principally made up of former governors and politicians who were being compensated for the roles they played in the February 25 presidential election.

Only on Tuesday, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) had advised the Federal Government to cut the cost of governance to demonstrate that the leaders also share in the suffering and sacrifice of the people. President of LCCI, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, gave the charge in a statement on President Tinubu’s address on the state of the nation.

Olawale-Cole said the perks available to public office holders are so enormous that it is difficult for the average Nigerian to understand why they suffer so much and those in leadership are unaffected.

The LCCI President urged Tinubu to do the needful, as citizens expect further announcements on the measure to cut the cost of governance.

“As we commend the government’s courage in enacting a series of policies, we trust that the government would be courageous enough to cut the cost of governance. This will demonstrate to Nigerians that the leaders share in the suffering and sacrifice of the people,” he stated.

Also, at the onset of the administration, there had been much talk about resuscitating the famous Oronsaye Report, officially known as the Report on the Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies, submitted to the Federal Government in 2012.

The Stephen Oronsaye report was commissioned by the Goodluck Jonathan administration in response to concerns about the size and cost of the Nigerian public sector.

The recommendations of the committee included abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 agencies, reversion of 14 agencies to departments in various ministries, and rationalisation of staff strength in the civil service.

The report argued that implementing these recommendations would save the government N1.3 trillion yearly. It also argued that the proposals would improve efficiency and reduce waste in the public sector.

The Oronsaye report promotes efficiency and reducing waste in the public sector as well as advocacy for the removal of such extra-budgetary allocations like security votes, and cutting down allowances of lawmakers, among others, should be labour union’s conditions for subsidy removal if their agitations were truly in the public interest.

It was therefore an anticlimax when the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, delivered the list to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, while the Senate was in the Committee of the Whole, considering the remaining six ministerial nominees.

The immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives submitted the second list with the second batch of ministerial nominees to Akpabio, at exactly 3:17p.m. After unveiling the additional nominees of the President, the Senate President said the Senate would reconvene on Friday to commence screening of the new ministers-designate.

Among the nominees in the second batch are former Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola; former Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagudu; former Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle; former Yobe State governor, Ibrahim Geidam; former Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong; a former senator from Bayelsa State, Heineken Lokpobiri and Shuiabu Abubakar Audu.

Others are Ahmed Tijjani, Bosun Tijjani, Maryam Shetti, Ishak Salako, Tunji Alausa, Tanko Sununu, Lola Adejo, Tahir Mamman, Aliyu Sabi, Alkali Ahmed, Uba Maigari and Zephaniah Jissalo.

A spark of excitement in the latest list is the inclusion of co-founder and CEO of Nigeria’s biggest tech hub, Co-Creation Hub, Bosun Tijani. Tijani, aged 46, initiated Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg’s first-time visit and received him in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole in August 2016.

Already, the Senate has screened the 28 nominees in the first batch. Those screened yesterday were Dele Alake, Lateef Fagbemi, Muhammad Idris, Ali Pate and Doris Uzoka.

The Senate had on Tuesday screened nine nominees. Those screened on Tuesday were ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Wale Edun, Uche Nnaji, Stella Okotete, Adebayo Adelabu, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Hannatu Musawa, and Musa Dangiwa.

The nominees who opened the screening on Monday were former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Abubakar Kyari from Borno State; Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia State); Bello Muhammad (Sokoto State); Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State); and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa State).

Others were Joseph Utsev (Benue State), Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo State), Betta Edu (Cross River State), Uju Kennedy Ohaneye (Anambra State), Abubakar Momoh (Edo State), John Enoh (Cross River State), Iman Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa State), and Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi State).

Despite the anguish and frustration over impacts of some of the new administration’s policies, a newly introduced Stears Approval Rating (SAR) released yesterday revealed that President Tinubu’s policies have received twice as many approvals from respondents compared to those of the previous administration.

The intelligence firm, Stears, conducted a statistically significant, state-wide poll to understand public sentiment in the wake of a storm of policy reforms implemented by the current administration. The inaugural Stears Approval Rating sampled 519 respondents across Lagos’ 20 local government areas.

The SAR is built from responses to 25 questions about socioeconomic policies, living conditions, institutional trust and voter status. Interviews were conducted in English, Pidgin English, and Yoruba, and lasted an average of 10 minutes.

“After Stears’ proprietary estimation model correctly predicted the outcome of the 2023 presidential elections, we wanted to continue to build on the application of data in governance and beyond. Particularly, we’re excited about how the SAR captures subtle fluctuations in consumer sentiment,” Tokunbo Afikuyomi, economist at Stears explained.

Senior Governance Analyst, Joachim MacEbong, said: “The Stears survey offers a valuable glimpse into the concerns of Nigerians, and it is clear that urgent action is needed to ease the cost burdens on citizens. Our poll showed that 42 per cent of Lagosians are pessimistic while 32 per cent said they were optimistic about the country’s direction.”

When asked what they think of the social and economic policies of both the current administration and the past Buhari administration, only 12 per cent approve of the previous administration’s policies, while 50 per cent disapprove. For the current administration, 27 per cent approve, with 33 per cent disapproval. The 50 per cent disapproval of the previous administration’s policies indicates its policy missteps.

The removal of the petrol subsidy, which saw Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) go from ₦185/litre to ₦490/litre in Lagos overnight, is less popular. 58 per cent disapprove, with only 32 per cent approving of the decision. Stears completed data collection before the increase from ₦490/litre to ₦568/litre.


Based on the data collected for the Stears Approval Rating, Stears built three indices: The Approval Rating Index spotlights the public’s approval of implemented and potential future policies; Stears Confidence Score gauges trust in institutions, which is essential for mobilising citizens, and finally, the Consumer Expectations Index is used to track how optimistic consumers are about the future, indicative of their future spending.

Stears used responses to questions about future expectations and Nigeria’s direction to construct the Consumer Expectations Index. Most (59 per cent) feel worse off than they did a year ago. The silver lining is that 71 per cent of respondents think they will be doing better in a year.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategies, who was also nominated as ministerial nominee, Dele Alake, has indicated that while he is an advocate of freedom of the press, he will not support absolute freedom without responsibility.

This was just as the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, shielded him from responding to some sensitive and critical questions by some senators.

Alake who appeared before the Senate on Wednesday in continuation of the ongoing screening of President Bola Tinubu’s nominees categorically stated that under his watch as Information Minister, if so appointed, Nigerian press will be regulated to avoid abuse and dis-stability.

He told the senators that he would ensure that the government strengthens the rule of law and adequately regulates the media.

Alake said that even though social media has advantages, its downside has become highly detrimental to a decent society like Nigeria.

He said regulations must be strengthened and tested to ensure that social media is not used in a manner that threatens the internal security of Nigeria.

His words: “The downside of social media is that it is detrimental to a good and decent society. What I would support is the strengthening of regulations. There are laws that guide our conduct in every area of human endeavour, but the application of these laws has been shut.

“Even victims of libel, aspersions, defamation and all kinds of negative things in the media, hesitate to also apply the law against the culprits. I will recommend the strengthening of our regulations and the applications of those laws. The laws must be tested so we can know the proficiency of those regulations.

“I will support anything that comes from this hallowed chamber that promotes that course of action. If there are laws, bills, and motions in line with this, please be sure of our full cooperation.”

Acknowledging that misapplication of social media could be detrimental to society, Alake said he would encourage the government to strictly apply laws regulating both the mainstream and social media.

He also said sanity can be achieved with a re- orientation of social values, ensuring executive obedience to legislative oversight, strict adherence to the rule of law, and separation of powers.

https://guardian.ng/news/cabinet-size-nears-70-as-tinubu-ignores-calls-for-lean-govt/

FTC

wittywriter:
FTC dedicated to the Nigerian masses going through a lot in the face of hardship due to bad.leadership!

Please don't quote me with stupid excuses for maladministration of our leaders.


Wittyness

Cromagnon:
due to laziness not leadership

Congratulations on your stupidity that makes you think the inability oof leaders to build refineries is due to citizens laziness? SMH.

Cromagnon:

Define stupidity

Wittyness

We must drain this nation dry.

Finally you have embraced constructive criticism.

Unfortunately Obi is a helpless hypocrite that cannot be trusted.

The shameless ones will still blame Peter Obi for this.

The difference between Tinubu and Obi

Obi would rather save money in cormercial banks while his state doctors and lecturers go on strike

Tinubu would not get Federal allocation but still generate revenue, use that revenue to invest in infrastructure like BRT, Lekki Free trade zone, Lekki deep seaport, Roads and many more

Tinubu appointment spreads accross all State of the Federation


.

QuotaSystem:
Finally you have embraced constructive criticism.

Unfortunately Obi is a helpless hypocrite that cannot be trusted.

How is Obi a hypocrite?

FTC dedicated to the Nigerian masses going through a lot in the face of hardship due to bad.leadership!

Please don't quote me with stupid excuses for maladministration of our leaders.


Wittyness

Have you given up on Peter Obi cumming? When he cums, he can appoint you and your father as the only ministers to save cost.

Panadol extra don add money oohh. And try dey check ur BP. E get why

Prior to when he forwarded his first list of ministers, there was a thread in the politics section where it was claimed that Tinubu was inclined to creating new ministries. I made a case on the subject matter of ballooning cost of governance and some of his minions here, claimed it was necessary for efficiency and proper service delivery.

I've been laughing since then, because Nigeria is about to be stolen worse than was the case with Abacha's regime.

Penguin2:

How is Obi a hypocrite?

Don’t act surprised.

Follow the link.

https://twitter.com/davidsoffor/status/1686724698497798144?s=46&t=nWfXQEuj1Lc763dLrsBklQ

Curse777:




The difference between Tinubu and Obi

Obi would rather save money in cormercial banks while his state doctors and lecturers go on strike

Tinubu would not get Federal allocation but still generate revenue, use that revenue to invest in infrastructure like BRT, Lekki Free trade zone, Lekki deep seaport, Roads and many more
.

You people should stop telling these lies na…

1) Only Local Government Funds were seized and not the entire Lagos State allocation. The Allocations due to State Government of Lagos never ceased to come.

2) Fashola built BRT.

3) Tinubu didn’t spend a dime to get approval for Lekki Free Trade Zone. So I wonder why you are relating that to funds?

4) Lekki Deep Seaport was just commissioned last year. After Tinubu, Fashola has ruled Lagos for 8 years, Ambode has done 4 years and Sanwolu has done 4 years. That’s 16 years.

Fashola left office without even a bush cleared for Lekki Deep Seaport. So why do you want to ascribe it to Tinubu as being one of the projects he spent funds on?

And the Lekki Port when it was eventually built, it was built by a Chinese Concessionaire who brought all the funding in Partnership with Federal Government and Lagos State Government as third partner. So, it is not even Lagos funds per se that was used to build Lekki Deep Seaport.

Why do you guys like propagating lies and trying to drive it home and hoping it sticks? Why?

Woe betide any sane Nigerian who thinks that an illegitimate regime that got into power via brazen electoral corruption and criminality will be interested in cutting down the cost of governance.

Tinubu is the GCFR and he will run the government based on his own terms because Nigeria people gave him the mandate.

If he likes, he can appoint 1000 ministers if he believes that is the best way to drive success faster.

Anyone trying to compare Jagaban to that Awkusu murderer and stingy clown Obi should have their brain checked. Is it not the same Obi that would rather buy fuel in his car himself rather than allow his aide?

Both of them faced the ballot with their manifesto and the Nigerian people voted Tinubu enmasse relegating Obi to a distant third.

Jagaban govern the way he wants, so far we get the right result. All of you crying about his minister can wail on, it is your constitutional right BUT it changes nothing!

Frustrated obidot, always wailing

Penguin2:


You people should stop telling these lies na…

1) Only Local Government Funds were seized and not the entire Lagos State allocation. The Allocations due to State Government of Lagos never ceased to come.

2) Fashola built BRT.

3) Tinubu didn’t spend a dime to get approval for Lekki Free Trade Zone. So I wonder why you are relating that to funds?

4) Lekki Deep Seaport was just commissioned last year. After Tinubu, Fashola has ruled Lagos for 8 years, Ambode has done 4 years and Sanwolu has done 4 years. That’s 16 years.

Fashola left office without even a bush cleared for Lekki Deep Seaport. So why do you want to ascribe it to Tinubu as being one of the projects he spent funds on?

And the Lekki Port when it was eventually built, it was built by a Chinese Concessionaire who brought all the funding in Partnership with Federal Government and Lagos State Government as third partner. So, it is not even Lagos funds per se that was used to build Lekki Deep Seaport.

Why do you guys like propagating lies and trying to drive it home and hoping it sticks? Why?

1: Seizing a Lagos State local government allocation and you called it only?;. Was it meant to be seized or did Tinubu not still pay LGA workers

2: Go on TVC Morayo's Instagram, Fashola himself told everyone Tinubu built BRT and further completion were made under him, he said so on chanels too

3: Lekki Free trade zone is a Public Private Partnership and Counterpart funds were provided

4: do you build a port in Few days or years?! If it's that easy Ibos should have port

Tinubu went to NexIm bank got contractors and investors and they started a long term project yet you talk nonsense about his achievements

.

LegendHero:
Tinubu is the GCFR and he will run the government based on his own terms because Nigeria people gave him the mandate.

If he likes, he can appoint 1000 ministers if he believes that is the best way to drive success faster.

Anyone trying to compare Jagaban to that Awkusu murderer and stingy clown Obi should have their brain checked. Is it not the same Obi that would rather buy fuel in his car himself rather than allow his aide?

Both of them faced the ballot with their manifesto and the Nigerian people voted Tinubu enmasse relegating Obi to a distant third.

Jagaban govern the way he wants, so far we get the right result. All of you crying about his minister can wail on, it is your constitutional right BUT it changes nothing!

Been long I saw ur post.. Baba mi

Welcome back

Curse777:



1: Seizing a Lagos State local government allocation and you called it only?;. Was it meant to be seized or did Tinubu not still pay LGA workers

2: Go on TVC Morayo's Instagram, Fashola himself told everyone Tinubu built BRT and further completion were made under him, he said so on chanels too

3: Lekki Free trade zone is a Public Private Partnership and Counterpart funds were provided

4: do you build a port in Few days or years?! If it's that easy Ibos should have port

Tinubu went to NexIm ban got contractors and investors and they started a long term project yet you talk nonsense about his achievements

.

I didn’t expect you to refrain from your lies after I’ve set the record straight. My only preoccupation is to make sure the world knows the truth and not believe the lies that you guys have been programmed and dispatched to propagate.

Obasanjo seized Lagos LGA funds because Tinubu created new Local Governments and the Federal Government took Lagos State Government to court. And Obasanjo decided to hold onto Local Government Allocations for Lagos State pending the determination of the suit.

I’m not trying to exonerate Obasanjo or say he was justified in all he did, but it is nauseating when you lots spin the narrative as though Obasanjo seized all the allocations that was supposed to go to Lagos State.

On the Lekki Deep Seaport, Lagos State’s only contribution is land. Nothing more.

And hey, the construction of the port didn’t start in Tinubu’s era. It didn’t even start in Fashola’s time.

Stop reinforcing lies, no matter how much you do that, it will never become truth.

Goodness!

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigeria-opens-game-changer-billion-dollar-deep-seaport-2023-01-23/#:~:text=The%20new%20Lekki%20Deep%20Sea,transformative%20project%2C%20game%20changer%20project.

https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/fact-check-did-tinubu-receive-zero-allocation-as-governor/?amp

LegendHero:
Tinubu is the GCFR and he will run the government based on his own terms because Nigeria people gave him the mandate.

If he likes, he can appoint 1000 ministers if he believes that is the best way to drive success faster.

Anyone trying to compare Jagaban to that Awkusu murderer and stingy clown Obi should have their brain checked. Is it not the same Obi that would rather buy fuel in his car himself rather than allow his aide?

Both of them faced the ballot with their manifesto and the Nigerian people voted Tinubu enmasse relegating Obi to a distant third.

Jagaban govern the way he wants, so far we get the right result. All of you crying about his minister can wail on, it is your constitutional right BUT it changes nothing!

An apple does not fall too far from the tree... no one expected anything reasonable from you..

LegendHero:
Tinubu is the GCFR and he will run the government based on his own terms because Nigeria people gave him the mandate.

If he likes, he can appoint 1000 ministers if he believes that is the best way to drive success faster.

Anyone trying to compare Jagaban to that Awkusu murderer and stingy clown Obi should have their brain checked. Is it not the same Obi that would rather buy fuel in his car himself rather than allow his aide?

Both of them faced the ballot with their manifesto and the Nigerian people voted Tinubu enmasse relegating Obi to a distant third.

Jagaban govern the way he wants, so far we get the right result. All of you crying about his minister can wail on, it is your constitutional right BUT it changes nothing!

Yeah!

Like deja vu, you guys are back on same line of narrative and defense that you did with Buhari.

When he started appointing only northerners early into his government, we raised an alarm that such was a recipe for disaster because those he was appointing are not even competent. What did you say?

You called us wailers and said Buhari was free to appoint only those from Daura if he so desires; that he’s the GCFR and can do no wrong. How did it end?

Buhari’s 8 years ended up a disaster. If I ask you to name 10 legacies of Buhari’s government now, you will never do it. 8 years wasted.

And you are back with same narrative with Tinubu. Instead you will call his attention to his missteps now it’s still early, you are elevating him to the status of a god who can do no wrong. Ngwanu!

Essenza01:


An apple does not fall too far from the tree... no one expected anything reasonable from you..

They will defend everything as long it’s Tinubu.

Meanwhile, Seun, Mynd44, Nlfpmod, OAM4J why can’t I post images.

Images keep taking forever to verify these days. What’s going on?

... Tinubu did not add his agbado NL defenders to his cabinet because 8k palliative is okay for them
Helineus, FreeShitNg and Co.

*Huge cabinet.
*Appointment of dubious characters with EFCC criminal cases into cabinet.
*Disobedience of court orders.

How is this man different from Buhari sef?

If Tinubu continues this way, he won't have any money to run the government. Imagine having about 70 cabinet members at a time when the country is literally bleeding.

How would their salaries be paid?

Why is the Op Crying😰 and having headache over Wetin no Concern am🤔 are you the one Running the Government 🤨🤨...........The Person running the Government knows how many Capable hands he needs to help him. Chill and Goan find cold kunu to relax your agitated Nerves

Your president says you all should endure now and suffer later. Lol


City boy on the beat


Remind me what a thief does again?

To Kill, to steal and to destroy

By the end of this year, some people would start cooking with sawdust and the North would start feeding on themselves, while those Zombies (follow follow) would continue to blame the Ibo’s for everything and anything.

God epp us

Oya pigs will start grunting again ...

They grunt on every Tinubu's thread

But while President Tinubu, though urged to reduce his cabinet, was expected to still maintain the 42-man cabinet framework, no one anticipated it would be an expanded cabinet, principally made up of former governors and politicians

Old man can't cut governance but it is we ordinary nigerian (as Senates refered) should be buying for fuel for 650 right ?😭

I don't even know what to say anymore 😭😭😔😔😔😔

Nigerians walking on tight ropes
Will stop at nothing nursing high hopes..

I taya for my country people sha