Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai , has told President Muhammadu Buhari that some of the people around him lack experience and competence.
For example, he said ” the secretary to the government of the federation and the chief of staff do not have experience in public service, lack humility, in addition to being insensitive and rude to virtually most of the party leaders, ministers and governors”
The governor said Buhari’s failure to be proactive in taking key decisions in a timely manner has made the situation in Nigeria worse than he met it.
He said there is a possibility that some officials in the presidency have persuaded Buhari that governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) “must have no say and must also be totally excluded from political consultations, key appointments and decision-making at the federal level”.
The view is contained in a memo which was sent to Buhari in September, a follow-up to an earlier one sent by el-Rufai.
“In very blunt terms, Mr President, our APC administration has not only failed to manage expectations of a populace that expected overnight ‘change’ but has failed to deliver even mundane matters of governance outside of our successes in fighting BH insurgency and corruption,” el-Rufai said in the 30-page memo.
“This situation is compounded by the fact that some officials around you seem to believe and may have persuaded you that current APC state governors must have no say and must also be totally excluded from political consultations, key appointments and decision-making at the federal level.
“These politically-naive ‘advisers’ fail to realise that it is the current and former state governors that may, as members of NEC of the APC, serve as an alternative locus of power to check the excesses of the currently lopsided and perhaps ambivalent NWC.
“Overall, the feeling even among our supporters today is that the APC government is not doing well. I am distressed that our government is seen not to be succeeding mostly due to the failures, lack of focus and selfishness of some you have entrusted to carry on and implement your vision. I am troubled that our own missteps have made the PDP and its apparatchiks so audacious and confident.”
“The two officials whose titles may enable them function as such generally alienate those that contributed to our success,” he said.
“The chief of staff is totally clueless about the APC and its internal politics at best as he was neither part of its formation nor a participant in the primaries, campaign, and elections.
“In summary, neither of them has the personality, experience, and the reach to manage your politics nationally or even regionally.”
He called on the president to “act decisively,” and expressed the hope that his memo will “contribute in some way in regaining our governance momentum.”
“You have both a crisis and opportunity in your hands to turn around our country in the right direction. We pray that Allah gives you the strength and good fortune to succeed,” he said.
“This is an honest, frank and objective view of an admirer, a mentee, and a loyalist. I hope it helps, and I apologize if it displeases you. My duty to you is to tell you the truth as I see it. I have no interest other than the progress of our party, our president, our government, and our country.”
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