Minister’s List: Buhari Owes Nigerian Youths An Explanation – Ajulo

The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Barr. Kayode Ajulo has described the much anticipated list of persons nominated for ministerial appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari as “a huge disappointment while insisting that President Buhari owes Nigerians youth an explanation.

Reacting to the list as announced Tuesday by the President of the National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki, Ajulo who spoke to journalists shortly after the list was made public said that that it was “quite baffling” that the nation had been put through so much tension and high expectations only to have those expectations dashed by the announced list.

“It is very painful that our nation is again running around in circles in the name of ‘Change’ even though Providence has granted us yet another opportunity to get it right.  It is equally heartbreaking that the president has taken the citizens on a merry-go-round and a wild goose chase in the name of shopping for angels who will sanitize the nation,” he said.

Ajulo, a lawyer and the Founder and Chairman of Egalitarian Mission, Africa (EMA) also accused the president of going back on his word to seek and find credible technocrats to assign to ministerial positions, stating also that the president was just recycling the old guard that thrust the nation into present circumstances.

“Where are the angels that President Buhari promised? Where are the saints that he vowed to find and work with in his bid to bring change home to Nigerians? A cursory glance at that list reveals that the much touted change is an urban legend- a myth sold to Nigerians by the APC to win the mandate.

“It is laughable that President Buhari- a man perceived by some to be a staunch anti-corruption crusader- would actually opt, of his own free will, to work with some personalities whose name have been included in the list of the nominees.  These people belong to the old guard, they are the same ones who did the damage. It reeks of suspicion when the famed champion of anti-corruption nominates people who are already burdened with accusations of malfeasance and flagrant mismanagement of public funds. Where then is the war against corruption? It is DOA- Dead on Arrival,” he further surmised.

Ajulo also objected to the exclusion of youths in the composition of the nominees, wondering why instead “it was riddled with some spent forces who would find it a challenge to serve as federal ministers in a modern-day Nigeria”.

“In my opinion, the president owes Nigerian youths an explanation. It is a mystery and a riddle why he would be appointing men who should be on retirement to the grueling task that a ministerial appointment presents. There are many qualified and credible young persons who can deliver the needed goods to Nigerians.

“These young men and women made his presidency possible” “Why stick to ancient persons?  It is tragic that even though the youths within 18-45 years old make up as much as 78% of the votes that saw President Buhari emerge as president, the average age in the announced list and even in the appointments he has made so far is 61 years,” he said.

“As it is Buhari has created a new class struggles, it is not about the rich or the poor but about the Old and the Young” the legal luminary concluded.