By Samuel Ajayi
I read the letter of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, and I felt for him. One aspect stood out: asking the president to intervene and save the office of the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum from “further humiliation.”
Kachikwu’s main grouse was that some appointments and reorganisation were done in the NNPC without his input. According to him, he read about them on social media and mainstream media like every other Nigerian.
Kachikwu also claimed that Baru awarded contracts in excess of $20m claiming Buhari was his source of approval without reverting to the Board.
One thing Kachikwu should know is that he is fighting a lost battle. He might do well to keep his peace, earn his fat salary and allowances and swallow the indignities. I am experienced enough in Nigeria’s power play to know hat Kachalla Baru, the NNPC Group Managing Director, holds the aces in this battle. And I will tell Kachikwu why:
* Baru did NOT act alone in the appointments and reorganisation he carried out in NNPC. There are some powerful influence peddlers in the corridors of power who goaded him on. Baru was never a lone ranger.
* The man, Buhari, he has petitioned will most likely not act. He should have that at the back of his mind. That is if his boss was not aware of his grouse beforehand.
* As far as power balance is concerned in the country today, Kachikwu, by virtue of where he comes from, holds the short end of the stick. While this may not be very obvious, an average Hausa/Fulani appointee believes he is untouchable and only answerable to Buhari and the cabal. Not to his supervisory Minister.
Kachikwu should also be aware that Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, successfully defied Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, when the latter suspended him. It did not matter if the instructions to suspend came from the then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo. And even Osinbajo himself knew enough to keep his peace.
Therefore, Kachikwu is on a long thing, As they say on the street.
And may I add that a President Olusegun Obasanjo would never allow a junior government functionary to undermine his or her superior even if the junior functionary came from his village.
But then, there lies the difference between a statesman and an irascible ethnic jingoist who found himself superintending over pluralistic society likes ours.
And may I add that there are many Barus in various ministries. While they gloat and gallivant around, their supervisory ministers sulk on silence.
That’s the reality of a deformed changed we brought on ourselves in 2015
Source: Facebook