In a surprising turn of events, indications have emerged that President Bola Tinubu may nullify several of the last-minute appointments made by former President Muhammadu Buhari before he left office. According to a report by The Punch, sources familiar with the matter revealed that plans were already underway to replace some of the appointees appointed by the previous administration.
Although the exact number of appointments to be nullified could not be obtained, a highly placed source stated that the move might affect the last-minute appointments made by Buhari's ministers and heads of agencies. It is worth noting that towards the end of his tenure, the Buhari administration continued to approve appointments, even until the morning of May 29, 2023, when Buhari handed over to Tinubu.
The source explained, "Some of the last-minute appointments by some ex-ministers will be nullified. It will be gradual, so I can't exactly tell you the number of those who will be affected. As you know, some of them were done in a hurry. The appointments are being reviewed. I can confirm that to you."
Despite multiple attempts to seek clarification from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, no response was received as of the time of filing this report.
To provide context, on May 11, the former President approved the appointment of a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Garba Baba-Umar, as a Senior Security Adviser on International Police Cooperation and Counter-terrorism in the Office of the Minister of Police Affairs. This appointment was intended to enable Umar to complete his tenure as an executive member of the INTERPOL.
Furthermore, Muhammed Abdullahi, the immediate past Minister of Environment, announced the appointment of a new coordinator for the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project on May 2, less than a month before the end of the administration. Additionally, a month earlier, Buhari appointed a new director for the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, through the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire.
Other notable appointments included the re-appointment of the Chief Executive Officer of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Bello Maigari, and the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Gambo Aliyu, on March 24. On March 21, a new Director-General for the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency was also appointed. On May 23, the Buhari administration appointed 33 new directors in agencies under the ministry of aviation and aerospace management. Additionally, on May 25, Buhari appointed Garzali Abubakar as the Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund, and on May 28, just a day before his handover of power, he approved the appointment of Sha'aban Sharada as the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education.
Already, some of Buhari's last-minute appointees and long-serving appointees have been sacked by Tinubu. For instance, in June, Tinubu dissolved the boards of all federal government agencies, including those whose members were recently approved by the Buhari administration. Most recently, on Friday, Tinubu removed Dr Bashir Gwandu, who was appointed by the Buhari administration as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure on May 19, 2023. He named Khalil Halilu as Gwandu's replacement.
The nullification of these appointments by President Bola Tinubu is seen as a significant step towards reshaping the current administration and ensuring that individuals appointed align with his vision for the country. As the review process continues, Nigerians await further developments in this ongoing saga.
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