Ripples Nigeria - Chieftains and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are upbeat about the reluctance of President Muhammadu Buhari to make appointments into federal parastatals as well as Government Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).
Few days to the first anniversary of the administration, the APC bigwigs are displeased that Buhari is yet to overhaul the parastatals and compensate loyal party members with appointments.
The situation, according to those who spoke with Ripples Nigeria under the condition of anonymity, is affecting morale among party members.
They claimed many of their supporters are restive they have not been compensated for the emergence of the current administration.
Buhari, on February 15, sacked 26 Directors-General of federal agencies and parastatals. Those affected include: Nigerian Television Authority (NTA); Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN); News Agency of Nigeria (NAN); National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF); Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Others were: Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board(NCDMB); Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria(FMBN); Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFund); Petroleum Equalisation Fund(PET); Nigeria Railway Corporation(NRC); Bureau of Public Procurements(BPP) and others.
Over two months after, the hope of APC stalwarts that more heads of parastatals will go has been dashed.
The vacant posts have not been filled either, with the sacked DGs asked to hand over to the highest senior officials in their agencies.
The failure to replace sacked heads and reluctance to relieve more agencies of their leadership, which are handovers of the previous PDP government, are tearing party members apart.
Many of them said they have become agitated by the failure of Buhari to bring fresh hands on board.
One of them, a prominent party executive in the South West, confided: “We are just few days away from the first anniversary and we are still waiting, unsure of what lies before us.
“Many who worked for the success of the party at the state and federal levels have not been compensated or accommodated.
“There are still too many PDP members in places of authorities. One wonders if Buhari realises that APC members are angry with him.”
Another said: “Many of us spent resources and braved the odds to make sure this new administration came on board. But we have not received anything.
“In all democracies, you don’t support a ruling government during elections without getting anything in return. But it appears Buhari is only contented with himself in power. He seems not to care if others who worked for him and the party are taken care of.”
Another, a female from the North, said: “Not having our party members in offices is why this government is suffering. There are too many saboteurs in the system.
“The longer the President keeps them on board, the more damages they will cause him and the nation. The President needs to appease his party members first to win over the nation.”
Investigations revealed that Buhari is taking time to edge out the remaining Directors-General because of the current economic crunch.
A source in the presidency said: “The President is aware that bringing new persons on board will mean incurring higher costs such as accommodation allowance and utility bills. Once the economy rebounds, he will do the needful.”
It was also gathered that Buhari is wary of the wrangling among APC stalwarts over the spoils of office.
The President, it was learnt, is working out modalities on how to minimise the resultant scrambling for posts among party elders.
It was learnt that the President has secretly begun the process of considering who to put in the over 6,000 pending federal appointments.
No comments