By; DESMOND NJOKU
Our civil society organisation, Patriots for Nigeria’s Development (PND), hereby sends her greetings of true solidarity and sincere best wishes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at this historic chapter of our national life.
Though our dear nation is passing through grave socio-economic challenges, our absolute faith and abiding trust in President Tinubu’s exceptional leadership sagacity to bring Nigeria out of the woods, in no distant time, are unwavering.
However, we have deemed it necessary to draw Mr. President’s attention to the unpatriotic actions and sinister moves of some supposed leaders in the country – who should be in the vanguard of promoting national unity and togetherness of the masses in a bid to foster national integration.
Without mincing words, Distinguished Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, who currently represents Ogun West Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, is one of such persons our CSO has identified to be working against Nigeria’s progress.
Adeola, a three-term Senator, among several of his nauseating personality traits, cares less about how to help entrench good leadership, especially in the civil and public service, that will fast-track good governance, our investigation has shown.
It is in the habit of most Nigerian elite and godfather politicians to influence the appointments of Heads and staff of various government agencies. And we have no qualms with that, insofar it helps in tackling the country’s unemployment crisis.
However, it is apt to state that the way and manner Sen. Adeola goes about exercising this rare privilege he and other elite enjoy, indeed leaves much to be desired from him, as a so-called distinguished Senator. For the Ogun West Senator, his fronting for other people’s appointments is at the altar of capacity, merit and track record of good performance.
Most times, Sen. Adeola is only concerned about everything but what will foster unity and give marginalized groups/citizens a sense of belonging, in line with the principles of federal character, morality, fairness and equity.
At the moment, our CSO has uncovered a subterranean move by Sen. Adeola, to perversely influence the nomination of the next Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, as the tenure of the incumbent Ben Akabueze winds down.
The Ogun Senator, according to credible sources, is on the verge of hoodwinking President to appoint an indigene of Ogun State to succeed Akabueze, in flagrant disregard to extant public service rules, fueled by his vaulting political ambition.
It is no longer a secret that Senator Adeola fondly called Yayi by his political associates, has been in the Senate since 2015. Between 2015 and 2023 he represented Lagos West Senatorial District in the Senate. However, he switched allegiance to his native Ogun State, and luckily became a Senator again after the 2023 general elections.
The reason Senator Adeola returned to his ancestral root is not far-fetched. He is bidding to become the next Governor of Ogun in 2027, and he is not showing any pretence about it. But Nigerians, and particularly, the people of Ogun must be wary of politicians with domineering postures, like Adeola. Theirs is to lord their whims and caprices over others.
As an inconsiderate leader, Sen. Adeola wants everything for himself and his people, only. Small wonder, he is said to be responsible for the many federal appointments President Tinubu gave to Ogun indigenes, between May 29, 2023 and now.
But if Ogun is not the only state of the Nigerian federation with competent people, why is Sen. Adeola bent on grabbing every available job for them at the federal level? Apparently, it is for him to feather his 2027 gubernatorial project.
President Tinubu indeed must not allow characters like Sen. Adeola dictate for him, whenever it comes to making critical political appointments which may affect the smooth running of his administration, and also, vital institutions of his government.
The President must ensure that a technocrat with track record of service and capacity to deliver on the job is appointed as helmsman of the Budget Office. If necessary, another qualified Yoruba or Nigerian could be appointed to consolidate Akabueze’s legacies.
But certainly, that person must, and should not come from Ogun, for reasons which are obvious to even President Tinubu. Barely three months after assuming, several groups and eminent Nigerians, in August last year, accused Mr. President of Yorubanisation and Lagoslation of some key political appointments.
It will be rational if President Tinubu, at this period when his administration is being scored low in terms of performance, avoid unnecessary distractions by the likes of Sen. Adeola and others, who appear to be ethnic champions politicians.
Mr. President should concentrate squarely on the job he was elected to do, and avoid the booby traps of politicians pursuing their vested interests. Their antics do nothing good, but further polarize citizens and fragments the country’s delicate social cohesion.
Once again, we call on President Tinubu not to cave in to the pressure of Sen. Adeola and others pushing for their candidates to succeed Akabueze at the Budget Office. Only someone who is eminently qualified and has paid his or dues, should takeover from Mr. Akabueze. That is the only way we can strengthen our institutions, and prevent their abuse by self-centered politicians.
Mr. Desmond Njoku is the
National Coordinator,
Patriots for Nigeria’s Development.
