YOMI AYELESO examines the task and expectations before the political appointment committee set up by the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, as the governor prepares to form his cabinet seven months after his inauguration.
Regarded by many as a clear departure from the usual practice in the politics of the state, the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji has constituted an eight-man committee to source, coordinate and recommend for appointment into his cabinet, people of impeccable character, especially members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), across the 16 Local Government Area of the state.
Oyebanji assumed office on October 16, 2022 following his victory during the June 18, 2022 election. Since his emergence, the governor has maintained compact cabinet mostly comprising technocrats across major sectors of the economy. Although, the governor retained the services of commissioners under Fayemi’s administration: Dr Oyebanji Filani (Health) and Akin Oyebode (Finance), he appointed Dayo Apata, (SAN) as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and nine special advisers including some special assistants.
While campaigning, Oyebanji had promised to form his cabinet with inputs and contributions from people, especially the grassroots. He hinged this method on bringing his administration closer to the people and letting the residents to be involved in the activities of government. He also promised to appoint people, especially core politicians after the 2023 general election. The APC recorded landslide victories in the state, hence political watchers and stakeholders are hoping to see the direction of the governor as regards forming a cabinet that will help in achieving his six-point agenda for the state.
Speaking during the inauguration of the committee, a fortnight ago, Oyebanji stated that the people who would make his cabinet are those ready to work and sacrifice for the state, urging members of the committee to look for competent hands who are of impeccable character and who are ready to work and sacrifice for the state. The governor named elder statesman, Chief George Akosile as chairman of the committee, while former deputy governor, Professor Modupe Adelabu; chairman of APC in the state, Paul Omotosho and special adviser on political matters, Chief Jide Awe are members. Other members of the committee include: Chief Alaba Bejide, Chief Ronke Okusanya, Bayo Aina and Lekan Ijidale. Aside paper qualifications, the governor set other requirements the committee should look at to include: track record, character, competence, compassion, integrity, diligence and contributions to community development, among other considerations.
He said it was imperative to make the would-be appointee know that they are coming in to work and to sacrifice for the progress of the state and not to see political office as an opportunity for self-aggrandisement, self-enrichment or an avenue to lazy around and lord things over the people in their communities. Instead, he said he needed people who would come in and soak themselves in the work and be ready to make necessary sacrifice for the progress and prosperity of the state. Describing the effort as a novel initiative of the ruling party in the state, the governor also added that youth and women should be given adequate consideration.
Oyebanji said: “Out of the feedback we got from our members then is the fact that they want to be part and parcel of the choice of the team that will govern them and since this is government of inclusion, so, the leadership decided that a committee should be put in place to interact with stakeholders across the state within the party, outside the party and every other interests you can bring on board to discuss with them and come up with names of men and women and youths that exhibit competence, character, integrity, compassion and selflessness.
In the last six months, some politicians and chieftains of the APC have protested and expressed their displeasure over what they described as the delay in the appointment of party members into the government in the state. According to these party members and leaders, they worked for the victory of Oyebanji during the election and that they deserved a place in the administration to contribute to the development of the state.
However, the publicity secretary of the APC, Segun Dipe commended the governor for giving the party and the people power to nominate people into his cabinet by constituting the committee, adding that the move would help in building people›s confidence in government.
He said: “I think the issue has been addressed by the governor himself as regards the quality and the selection process. He had said it when canvassing for votes that he would return power to the party, appointment will be determined by party and the people. They would want them to be accountable to the people not to themselves.
“Regarding the quality of people, he (governor) said those who are ready to serve, those who are not been pushed by money, but by what the people that they are going to serve will benefit from their service, people who will be ready to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the state; people who are like him, homebred, people who are loved and chosen by the communities from where they comes from. They(committee) will look at the template of the governor and key into his vision and do the right thing in the interest of Ekiti.”
On his part, the general secretary of Ekiti State Council of Elders, Niyi Ajibulu explained that with the few appointments made so far by Oyebanji since inauguration, he has demonstrated unparalleled traits in giving opportunities to people who have capacity and ready to contribute to the development of the state. Ajibulu added: “We were happy with the caliber of people he earlier appointed, it was a right thing in a right direction in bringing people he knows that will deliver. And now, the step he has taken by putting together this committee should be commended. Definitely, as a governor, he might not know every nook and cranny and by putting this committee, he will get the people with the right attitude and local connection to help him steer the ship of governance. So, we commend the initiative and we urge the committee to give the governor advice and recommend people that has the know-how and knowledgeable about the localities of Ekiti state.”
A member of the committee and Special Adviser to the governor on political matters, Chief Jide Awe expressed optimism that the team would discharge its job with utmost responsibility and present to the governor people of proven integrity, capacity and commitment towards achieving the six-point agenda of the Oyebanji-led administration. Awe said: “The people of Ekiti should expect the best from the committee because the governor want power to come from the people and he wants the full participation of members of the party to have a say and their way on who becomes their leader particularly in government. That was why the governor has decided to set up the committee to look at the nooks and crannies of Ekiti state and find out the best for now who could galvanize development.
“These are the people that will drive our six points agenda; who are going to work directly with the governor to achieve all his lofty ideas. In that wise, you don›t just pick people, you look at their past record, what they have contributed both within the party and the community they reside. We don›t want a situation where what I refer to as human and capital flights that a commissioner will not be residing in the state where he/she is a commissioner, it is abnormal. A commissioner that will be too far from the people, it doesn›t worth it , so we want a situation that people who will complement the governor is all we want to do, that is the reason governor put together the committee.”
On chances that the committee might recommend people outside the APC for appointment in the cabinet, the governor’s aide said, “There are a lot of rooms for those who are not members of the party, the technocrats as they called themselves, who will be able to contribute to the government. But the same criteria goes for these people; we must have seen what they have done creditably to uplift humanity, but the only slight difference is membership of the party and contributions to the growth of your community. If somebody has value to add to the government, we don›t mind having such individual in our midst.”
As the committee begins its scheduled tour of the local government areas to carry out its task, residents and indeed stakeholders have stated that the success or otherwise of the administration of governor Oyebanji in the next four years in Ekiti state would be determined by the quality of people who will be part of the cabinet.
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