By Lukman Amusa
The Onu Political Organisation (TOPO) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider those with credibility, intelligence and service-driven orientation for appointments as ministers in the ‘Next Level’ cabinet.
Chief Egwu Chima, the group’s National Publicity Secretary, made the call in an interview with our correspondent today (Friday) in Abakaliki.
He noted that the rebuilding process, national rebirth and economic repositioning of the country were such great tasks that required men and women of track-record, integrity, credibility and execellence to assist the president to accomplish.
Chima expressed confidence that the team for ‘Next Level’ cabinet would be composed of competent technocrats and politicians who had demonstrated enough capacity and integrity to deliver good leadership.
He, therefore, urged Buhari not to consider for ministerial appointments those the group described as political neophytes, currently jostling for slots in the incoming new federal cabinet.
Neophyte is someone who recently involved in an activity and is still learning about it.
“I pity those who are jostling for ministerial positions under Buhari; I pity them because Buhari is a man of his own, he is a calm and calculated character, he knows his onions and he is a man who knows what he wants.
“So, jostling and display of desperation will never be a criterion or criteria for anybody to be appointed as a minister.
“Buhari we know will never consider neophytes for inclusion into his federal cabinet.
“Assuming you were a former minister in his first tenure, you must have proved yourself to have performed satisfactorily before you can be considered as a candidate for ‘Next Level.’
“If you are a new person, your background is important; Buhari I know will dig into your life and life style to find out if you are a consistent person.
“The moral rectitude of the candidate, religious piety, academic prowess, character and candour of the person aspiring for ministerial position will all be taken into consideration by Buhari,” Chima said.
Chima berated some politicians in Ebonyi who have allegedly resorted to smear campaigns, blackmail, calumny and spurious media publications against Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, former Minister of Science and Technology to achieve their political goals.
Chima, also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi and member of the governing board of the Small and Medium Enterpises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) said that Onu’s political achievements remained unparalled.
He expressed concern over the desperation of some politicians from Ebonyi aspiring for appointments into the federal executive council and urged them to desist from blackmail and anti- democratic methods in pushing their political ambitions.
“Onu’s humble approach to life is with total commitment; his political sagacity, selfless, patriotic sacrifice and political achievements as well as his nationalist disposition are unparallel and unquestionable.
“He is a disciplined politician par excellence, he has a proven record of consistency, in his private and public live he doesn’t gossip and his word is his bond.
“He is not given to material things, he keeps to time, he is not wealthy materially and he is a good manager of time and resources.
“Onu as a former governor of Abia has no house in Umuahia, Aba or Owerri and as a former minister he did not build nor buy a house in Abuja.
“The house at Uburu, his country home was built when he was a lecturer and that is the building he still lives in and this is the philosophy he maintains till date,” he added.
Chima explained that TOPO was not against the ambition of anybody aspiring for ministerial or any federal appointive positions.
He urged those jostling for the positions from Ebonyi to ensure that they are qualified and should have the character needed to handle the office.
