When Olusegun Obasanjo was looking for a Minister of Finance, he picked Malam Adamu Ciroma. A former CBN Governor and seasoned economic and policy adviser. He later picked Dr Ngozi Iweala, a PhD from MIT and a World Bank senior economic manager. Nenadi Usman was a junior minister and her appointment was strictly political. She didn’t qualify for the role.
When Umaru Yar’adua was appointing a Finance Minister, he picked Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, a PhD from London School of Economics and Political Science, former Central Banker, former university academic, and former UBA manager. He later chose Dr Mansur Mukhtar, MSc Cambridge, PhD Sussex (Economics), Senior Economist, and former DG Debt Management Office.
Goodluck Jonathan appointed Olusegun Aganga, Senior Director at Ernst and Young London, MD Goldman Sachs London, World Bank and IMF Board Member. He later reappointed Dr Ngozi Iweala as Coordinating Minister for the Economy.
The rot started with the APC administration. Muhammadu Buhari appointed Kemi Adeosun. She has BSc Economics from the University of East London, a Postgraduate Diploma and certified Chartered Accountant as Finance Minister. She didn’t even have NYSC certificate. He later appointed Zainab Shamsuna. She has BSc Accounting from ABU Zaria and MBA from Olabisi Onabanjo University. Was Executive Secretary at NEITI but had no relevant professional work experience in finance.
Bola Tinubu went tribal. He picked Wale Edun, a former Commissioner of Finance in Lagos and merchant banker. He has BSc, and MSc in Economics from the University of London. He later replaced him with Taiwo Oyedele, A HND holder in Accounting, MSc from Oxford Brookes, and former tax consultant at PwC. He has zero work experience in finance.
Dr Doris Nkiruka is a medical doctor. She’s a Certified Finance Analyst and MBA holder but have zero work experience in finance administration.
Are you wondering why our economy has deteriorated under the APC administrations? The quality of their strategic appointments has been abysmal. It’s either tribalism or nepotism. Merit is a second consideration!
