Elder statesman, veteran journalist and political leader, Aremo
Olusegun Osoba, was appointed in 1984 by then Head of State, General
Muhammadu Buhari as Managing Director of Daily Times Limited. Following
his stint in journalism, Osoba entered the political fray and served
twice as governor of Ogun State, 1992 to 1993 and 1999 to 2003. In this
interview, the leave as is intrepid reporter dissects the composition of
the federal cabinet, asserting that in most cases round pegs are in
round holes.
Excerpts:
What is your perspective on the allocation of portfolios to ministers by the president?
The President has, through this allocation of portfolios, answered the questions and allegations levelled against him as northernising his government. My feeling is that we now have a highly balanced distribution of governmental functions by the president.
Given the assumption that most of the ministers were the president’s direct nominees, do you envisage the ministers ever being disloyal to him?
I would say that the President has picked people he has observed over time or those whose track records he looked into and believe that they are people with pedigree for the delivery of government activities and performance. For example, Babatunde Raji Fashola was the face of ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) that we used him as a brand in 2011 to regain our lost ground in the Southwest. Besides his performance as governor, he was fully involved in the presidential campaigns, and he headed many committees. Take for instance the first meeting of the governors to fashion out a merger of ACN governors, CPC governors and Governor Rochas Okorocha coming from APGA was held in Lagos. I was in the merger committee, and there were divergent views. At the time that we were nearly breaking forth, Fashola was mandated by his fellow governors to come and address us. After he addressed us, we unanimously agreed immediately to adopt the broom. I give that as just an example of his involvement and influence in the making of the APC. Rotimi Amaechi, I can say, was also the face of the party (APC) in the Niger Delta.
I know his involvement, I salute his courage, I know the hell that he went through and I thank God the APC won because, Professor Wole Soyinka, who is very close to Rotimi Amaechi said the then Federal Government (of Goodluck Jonathan) sent a message to Amaechi about his engagement and the might of the Federal Government but that he never delivered the message to him.
Excerpts:
What is your perspective on the allocation of portfolios to ministers by the president?
The President has, through this allocation of portfolios, answered the questions and allegations levelled against him as northernising his government. My feeling is that we now have a highly balanced distribution of governmental functions by the president.
Given the assumption that most of the ministers were the president’s direct nominees, do you envisage the ministers ever being disloyal to him?
I would say that the President has picked people he has observed over time or those whose track records he looked into and believe that they are people with pedigree for the delivery of government activities and performance. For example, Babatunde Raji Fashola was the face of ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) that we used him as a brand in 2011 to regain our lost ground in the Southwest. Besides his performance as governor, he was fully involved in the presidential campaigns, and he headed many committees. Take for instance the first meeting of the governors to fashion out a merger of ACN governors, CPC governors and Governor Rochas Okorocha coming from APGA was held in Lagos. I was in the merger committee, and there were divergent views. At the time that we were nearly breaking forth, Fashola was mandated by his fellow governors to come and address us. After he addressed us, we unanimously agreed immediately to adopt the broom. I give that as just an example of his involvement and influence in the making of the APC. Rotimi Amaechi, I can say, was also the face of the party (APC) in the Niger Delta.
I know his involvement, I salute his courage, I know the hell that he went through and I thank God the APC won because, Professor Wole Soyinka, who is very close to Rotimi Amaechi said the then Federal Government (of Goodluck Jonathan) sent a message to Amaechi about his engagement and the might of the Federal Government but that he never delivered the message to him.
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