The Alliance for Deepening Democracy (A4DD) expressed strong criticism towards President Bola Tinubu for the lack of inclusiveness in the nomination of ministers. A4DD, a coalition of organizations dedicated to consolidating democracy in Nigeria, raised concerns over the selection and appointment process of ministers, accusing the President of marginalizing key sectors of society in his choices of prospective ministers.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Alliance highlighted the lack of representation of women and persons with disabilities among the ministerial nominees. While women constitute approximately half of the population, only about 25 percent of the 28 names submitted by the President for Senate screening are women. Additionally, there is no nominee with a disability, despite persons with disabilities making up around 15 percent of the country’s population.
The A4DD emphasized that President Tinubu’s failure to comply with the National Gender Policy, which specifies a minimum of 35 percent of positions to be reserved for women, is unacceptable and demonstrates a disregard for the rule of law, fairness, justice, and equity.
The coalition called on the President to rectify the gender discrimination and inequity by appointing a significant percentage, if not all, of the outstanding ministerial nominees to women and persons with disabilities.
A4DD also criticized the practice of submitting names of prospective ministers to the Senate without indicating their assigned portfolios. This approach, according to the Alliance, hinders a comprehensive assessment of the nominees’ competence and qualifications for the respective positions they may occupy.
Mr. Edetaen Ojo, the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Alliance and Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), expressed deep concern about the lack of debate surrounding the qualifications and suitability of the nominees for various ministerial roles. He asserted that this approach primarily rewards political allies and cronies, even when they lack the capacity and competence to handle ministerial responsibilities.
The coalition also voiced dismay over the ongoing confirmation hearings in the Senate, where nominees are simply asked to “take a bow” without rigorous scrutiny of their qualifications and competencies.
The A4DD called on President Tinubu and the Senate to urgently reform the process of nominating, vetting, and appointing ministers to address these deficiencies and uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in governance.