David-West: The mistake Buhari made over Adeosun
Tam David-West, former minister of petroleum resources and an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, says the president’s mistakes are haunting his government.
In an interview with The Guardian, he said Buhari made a mistake in the first four months of his administration with the people he surrounded himself with and are working against him.
David-West said that the economy is not doing well because the president made a mistake in appointment.
He added that Buhari should have appointed Udo Udoma, who is the minister of budget, as the minister of finance instead of Kemi Adeosun who currently holds the position.
The former minister, nevertheless, stated that the president suffered a lot to be elected and should re-contest in 2019 because of his high moral standard.
“You are elected to change and you can do the change. He made a mistake in the first four months. The mistake is what is haunting his government. The people, who he surrounded himself with, now cabals are not working in his interest. I told him before his wife went to the press, that the people are working against him,” he said.
“I have said it before that the economy is not doing well. People are suffering. I told him to alleviate the suffering. Give greater happiness to the greatest number. Let me be personal, if I were Buhari, the person I would have appointed the minister of finance is Udo Udoma, who is the minister of budget. That is not a good place for him.
“The economy is not doing well because of the mistake in appointment. I am not saying the minister of finance is not doing well. I do not know her. From what I have seen on television, she talks well, but talk is not enough.
“People are suffering. I am a diehard Buharist, but I cannot close my eyes and my conscience to admit there is not a lot of suffering. And something should be done about it.
“But, I want him to contest, because by our constitution, he has the right to contest and sentimental too. He suffered a lot to be elected. I have never joined any political party, but I support principles and persons. I do not see anybody in the political terrain that can contest against Buhari on moral turf. That is his greatest asset.”
Prof, your reasoning is faulty. Even Udo Udoma cannot handle convincingly his portfolio of National Planning, which is more relevant to the economy. What expertise do you think he will deploy to Finance? At least Adeosun has some experience in that area, unlike Udoma. I wonder why you did not advocate that Udoma should have been given Ministry of Justice.
In any case, I want you to realize that these Ministers may be trying their very best. They appear stuck with Buhari, a leader with no strategic vision other than to fight corruption. No minister can succeed more than the President wants to.