By Charles Adingupu
Two weeks after assumption of office, anxiety mounts as President Bola Tinubu has still not released the list of ministers for his cabinet.
His immediate predecessor, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), presided over the affairs of Nigeria as President for almost six months without Ministers and no one wants a repeat of that scenario.
However, the recent approval of 20 Advisers to the incumbent President by the Senate has continued to trigger reactions in different media platforms.
Some of these reactions may not be unconnected with the sudden withdrawal of petrol subsidy, which many Nigerians which has brought added hardship to many Nigerians as cost living continue to soar daily.
They expressed fear that proceeds realized from subsidy removal may be used to maintain the potentially bloated cabinet of President Tinubu.
They opined that 20 advisers to the President may be a warning signal of an overcrowded cabinet that would gulp the nation’s scarce resources and of dark days ahead.
Excerpts:
Reuben Abati @AriseTv:
The President has the constitutional power to appoint Advisers. The number of Advisers, according to the constitution must exceed 22. But in this case, the president has only appointed 20. So, he is in order. Moreso, he is yet to appoint ministers. He needs people who would help him out on certain if not all issues.
Oghene @Warri:
So this was the reason he withdrew subsidy? To sustain his crowded kitchen cabinet. Besides, the names of the 20 Advisers were not published. What’s he trying to hide?
Ese Maro @AriseTv:
At this stage, one would have expected the President to be moderate on the number of persons appointed as Advisers. He would have pruned the number to 10 instead of the current 20 Advisers approved by the Senate. It has to do with the peculiarity of the time. The federal government just withdrew subsidy from petrol and the spill over effects required sacrifice from the people. Today, the inflation rate has doubled with prices of essential food items hitting the rooftop, and transport fare now hiked by 200% just like the pump price of petrol.
We must cut cost of governance if we must make headway as a nation.
Kabiru Dani@Kano:
Where will the President get money to pay these Advisers? This just the beginning. We must cut our coat according to our clothe. This is not a good start for me.
Emiko @Ughelli North:
Senators earn about #13.5million on monthly basis while the monthly take home pay of Nigerian professors is less than a million naira. That’s Niger for you. Perhaps these special Advisers may earn more money than our University teachers.
Adeoye @Ogunwaterside:
Please we must try to get it right this time. There is so much hope that President Tinubu will help to right the many wrongs of his predecessor, Buhari. Hence he must trend cautiously.
Tope False@lagos:
Very soon we shall begin to see Advisers to the Senior Special Adviser to the President. They will all be in the payroll of the government.
Tsav @benue:
We certainly can’t sustain this system of government. It’s cheaper for us to run a parliamentary system of government.
Ntend @P/H Boy:
Available verifiable statistics showed that total amount of money used to pay federal government appointees on quarterly basis is bigger than the budget of some states in Nigeria.
Uche @abia:
President Tinubu must endeavor to cut down the seize of his government by all means possible. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Festus kayemo had said that Minister of State is unconstitutional. Hence the President must do away with them.
Ogechi @onitsha:
President Tinubu must not compromised excellence and capacity to deliver in picking his ministers if he wants to make headway in his administration.
Dominic @Taraba;
The President must resist the temptation of using appointment to compensate his political allies.
