Thread by @thecableng

OPINION BY SIMON KOLAWOLE: Mr President, may we discuss your cabinet? | TheCable bit.ly/2YOC2KO Cc @NGRPresident @MBuhari @AsoRock @FemAdesina @toluogunlesi @BashirAhmaad @DigiCommsNG

.@simonkolawole: Now, Mr President, let me say here that I will pre-judge your second term by the ministerial appointments you make after your inauguration. First, I have asked my fasting Muslim friends to help pray that we would not wait for another six months for a cabinet.

.@simonkolawole: They have assured me that they would spare no “rakat” in doing that. You are aware your delay in naming a cabinet in 2015 did no favours to the economy. I would even say we are yet to recover from the damage this inflicted on the system. #PMBNewCabinet

Mr President, I will now be straightforward: if you retain certain ministers, I will finally give up on your government. I have seen enough reasons to lose faith but there is this never-say-die spirit that keeps me hoping even when it does not make sense. #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: I have, however, been gravely worried that most of the ministers have been saying quietly that they are returning. In fact, I am told more than half of your cabinet will be re-appointed. I hope this is a joke, Mr President. #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: Your Excellency, if you retain Mallam Abubakar Malami as your minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation, I will finally give up on you. It will show that you are not getting the memo or there is something you are not telling us. #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: "One of the most important cabinet positions in a civilised society is that of the attorney-general. In fact, that is the only ministerial position mentioned in the constitution. The position is too critical and too powerful to be toyed with." #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: A president will never get sound and frank legal advice if the attorney-general prostrates to greet him. The position requires a cerebral and principled appointee. I will leave it at that. thecable.ng/mr-president-m… #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: Mr President, if you appoint election losers as ministers, then I will surrender. One of them is Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the “constituted authority” in Oyo state who lost his bid to return to the senate after spending eight years as governor. #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: Mr President. Of course, we know Alhaji @HMAdebayoShittu will not return as minister. Or will he? No, Mr President, you won’t do that to Nigeria. Neither would you reward Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari with a ministerial appointment. #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: I hope, Your Excellency, that we are not going to see Chief @AuduOgbeh in your cabinet again. If you love him so much, you can send him as ambassador to #Thailand... #PMBNewCabinet

...so that he can go and regale Thais with his tale that the Asian country is experiencing increasing unemployment because of the “rice revolution” in Nigeria. Ogbeh is very good at embarrassing the country at the slightest opportunity. thecable.ng/mr-president-m… #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: I hope never to see @SolomonDalung at FEC meetings again, and this has nothing to do with his beret. To cut a long list short, Mr President, if you return more than five ministers, you will be sending a depressing message to Nigerians. #PMBNewCabinet

Beyond the issue of individuals to be appointed, Your Excellency, is the need to bring in relevant people into the cabinet to meet the glaring skill deficiency. I cannot believe that you have never appointed an advanced and experienced economist as minister. #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: Lest I forget, Mr President, can we have a new way of doing things at the federal executive council? All I hear every Wednesday is that a contract has been awarded to buy dustbins for Damaturu or clear the drainage in Akungba. #PMBNewCabinet

.@simonkolawole: Governance is serious business. There should be more to FEC than contract awards. They should be discussing serious policy issues. Let Nigerians look forward to ministerial briefings. Read more 👉 thecable.ng/mr-president-m… #PMBNewCabinet