APC AND THE POLITICS OF APPOINTMENTS

As the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government of the Federation (SFG) remains in limbo following the suspension of its last occupant, Babachir David Lawal, who is under probe, there is serious political horsetrading going on over which zone would produce the successor, if eventually Lawal doesn’t return. For a while, the South-east was in contention to produce a nominee, and a former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Obong Victor Attah was believed to be favourably disposed to the incumbent Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu. According to this calculation, an Igbo appointee could douse tensions in the South-east where Biafran agitatiors are promoting a separatist agenda because of alleged marginalisation of the Igbo.

But sources say the Presidency is now looking in the direction of the South-South where the defeat of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, a son of the soil, sparked Ijaw anger and led to the violent campaign of the so-called Niger Delta Avengers.

Although the All Progressives Congress government seems to have succeeded in reigning in the restive Niger Delta youths, at least, for the moment, a resurgence of their bombings of oil pipelines is a luxury the nation could illafford, hence the appointment of a major stakeholder like the SGF from the volatile region is politically expedient.

Among the names being bandied are former Governors Adams Oshiomole, of Edo State, Obong Victor Attah, Obong Anwan Rita Akpan, Ambassador Sam Edem, and Obong Anwan Grace Ekong.

Although, Obong Attah and some of the aforementioned are PDP members, or still have close ties to the former ruling party. It is argued that with Attah’s defection to the APC, he stands a better chance.

However, according to some permutations, Rita Akpan and Grace Ekong, who both had previously served under former Governor Attah as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and headed boards of parastatals in the Akwa Ibom State, also have a chance because of their experience in a similar office at state level.

Both, Obong Anwan Grace Ekong and Rita Akpan, though the dark horses, appeared to have a stronger sup- port base and the backing of the region’s power brokers, and are likely to be in contention , though Akpan may be the favourite at the end of the day.

The APC government may consider a woman as Babachir Lawal’s replacement because of the comlplaints about unfair representation of women in this administration. This appointment would redress this imbalance, at least to some extent, and court the huge women voters ahead of 2019.

Also, a South-South appointee could correct the notion that President Muhammadu Buhari’s pattern of political appointees is skewed in favour of the north.

Moreover, most APC big-wigs in the region tend to favour a grass-root politician with broad support like Ekong because her appointment to a key post like the SGF could help deliver Akwa Ibom State, now in PDP hands, to the APC in 2019 and thus help the party’s chance of retaining power at the centre in the next Presidential elections.

How all these play out remains to be seen, moreso as President Buhari is still abroad for medical treatment.