JONATHAN’S LAST-MINUTE APPOINTMENTS

The many new appointments are not dignifying

last-minute appointments, seen more-or- less as politically indecent, apparently done with intent on mischief and some designed as booby traps for the incoming administration. Indeed, many view the latter day appointments as the squandering of some of the goodwill the president garnered from home and abroad by his statesman-like disposition at the end of the presidential poll last March.

Not surprisingly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the government of indulging in “last minute dubious activities.” In a scathing statement, the APC said “President Jonathan has been engaged in a rash of feverish last-minute appointments that though may not have breached any known law, are patently in bad faith, morally repugnant and indecorous. They say they are in office until May 29, but are appointments the only function of a government? Are there no problems crying for attention, such as the intractable fuel scarcity and the worsening power situation?”

Professor Itse Sagay, SAN also spoke with the same vehemence while condemning the rash of last-minute appointments as immoral and politically immature. “Personally I think it is an improper behaviour” said Sagay “because he is saddling the new administration with decisions and appointments which he should have allowed them (Buhari’s government) to make in accordance with their own priorities and preferences.”

We feel strongly that many of these appointments coming at the tail end the administration are unnecessary and provocative even though they are legitimate. Why did the government have to wait till the dying days of the administration to suffuse the system, bleeding as it is, with new political appointees? And why must the government wait till the last day to reward people who have been loyal and supportive?

We believe the outgoing administration did not have to indulge in these controversial appointments which do little to its image. But we know, and those making the appointments must also do, that it would take just one statement on May 29 to reverse all these questionable appointments.