"Kachikwu needs to know that respect and good performance will do what magic cannot". " Perhaps , the statement by Kachikwu was made in a moment of unguarded frustration or was an awkward attempt at a joke.
This is no joking matter. Livelihoods and peoples welfare are at stake", were some of the criticisms of APC Chieftain Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the now infamous "Magician" careless statement by the Minister of state for Petroleum Kachikwu Ibe, concerning the lingering fuel scarcity.
While the remarks of Kachikwu are in no doubt irresponsible and have been condemned by all and sundry, except the sentimental few , it is surprising to see Tinubu criticise a kitchen member of a cabinet of his ruling party . Kachikwu cannot be said to be a card carrying member of the APC, but as a minister in an APC government, his achievements and failures will always be tied with that of the APC.
The purpose of this post is to unravel why Tinubu criticised the minister of state . Questions such as, why Tinubu has failed to attribute any blame to the de-factor Minister of Petroleum who is also the President of the Country, Muhammadu Buhari? Why did he single out Kachikwu alone in the criticism, when it is clear that as both the Group-Managing Director of the NNPC and Minister of State for Petroleum, that he reports directly to the President who is de-factor Minister of Petroleum. As we dig deeper, it becomes obvious that the public criticism of Kachikwu might have not been unrelated to the recent wrath by Asiwaju, concerning the recent appointment of Mrs Nike Animashaun as the Company Secretary of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company . It has been rumoured that Tinubu might have felt that his absolute control of the party was at risk and hence experiencing diminishing returns , which is why a highly critical position like the NPDC Company Secretary was given to a Lagos State indigene and a former Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology (Who was recently sacked from the civil service by his prodigy and current Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode for misappropriating over N5billion tax payers money ), without recourse to him . It is believed that Nike Animashaun was recommended by Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly and former Vice-Presidential candidate with Buhari in 2011 elections under the CPC. To buttress further, Tinubu's famous prodigal son and current minister of Works and Power, Babatunde Fashola was said to support her nomination which might have further irked Jagaban.
To further compound the problem for Tinubu, the President was said to have refused to sack the newly appointed Animashaun after the camp of Tinubu raised alarm. The president was said to have responded that to sack Animashaun who was appointed by due process, it will take another due process to throw her out of office which is almost possible .
This explains the fact why, Tinubu picked out only Kachikwu to criticise while we all know no Cabinet member of the president is performing as the likes of Kemi Adeosun (Minister of Finance) and Rotimi Ameachi (Minister of Transport) have done worse in the short period . Tinubu totally feels he is gradually losing grip of a party he nurtured and midwifed after the likes of Babatunde Fashola, Kayode Kayemi (Minister of Solid Minerals and former Ekiti State governor) Yakubu Dogara (House of Representative Speaker) and Bukola Saraki (Senate President) have all been appointed or voted into office with little or no reference to him.
It is against this backdrop that the party chieftain has chosen to disgrace and isolate Kachikwu further away from the President and public.
In summary, while Kachikwu's statement showed irresponsibility , it is glaring that the attack on him by Tinubu was more political motivated than we could have ever imagined.
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