Out of the 29 state governors elected in March this year and sworn-in on May 29, a large number of 20 are yet to constitute their cabinets.

They include newly elected governors and those who won a second term. Among them are the governors of Ogun, Jigawa, Abia, Kebbi, Taraba, Zamfara, Kwara, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Kano, Niger, Cross River, Enugu and Imo. Governors of Katsina, Oyo, and Rivers have appointed one or two commissioners while in some states, the governors have forwarded names to the state house of assembly.

Only eight governors including those of Benue, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Kaduna, Delta, Sokoto and Ebonyi have inaugurated their cabinets.

In Ogun, Governor Dapo Abiodun has kept stakeholders guessing over those that would be part of his cabinet. Apart from the appointment of the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi and Chief of Staff, Shuaib Salisu and a few aides, Abiodun has not nominated anybody as commissioner yet. The development, which keeps tongues wagging, has been attributed to the diverse political interests the governor is expected to capture in the would-be cabinet.

It was gathered that Abiodun’s delayed cabinet has been drawing criticism from stakeholders who are not comfortable with his “slow approach to governance.” Speaking with newsmen recently on the delayed cabinet, Abiodun said he is shopping for “capable hands” who he intends to appoint into his cabinet to help drive his vision for the state.

Similarly in Jigawa State, Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar is yet to constitute his cabinet. The rumour in the state is that the governor would not constitute the cabinet until around December. It was said that the delay was a deliberate plan to save some revenue for the state.

The governor has also not appointed any aides whose process of appointment does not require the approval of the state house of assembly, even though there are few political appointees that have not been relieved. The Secretary to the State Government, Abdulkadir Fanini, was also reported to have been reappointed even though there was no official statement to that effect.

In Abia, only the commissioner for Information and Strategy and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice have been appointed by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State is also yet to appoint commissioners and there is no explanation as to why he is delaying forming his cabinet.

In Kebbi State, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu is yet to inaugurate his cabinet, though government sources said he would soon unveil members of his new cabinet as several meetings were held at the government house in Birnin Kebbi in the past few weeks. There were speculations last week that many of those who were made commissioners during his first tenure are still being listed to be part of the new cabinet. A source told our correspondent that some of those expected to be on the list of the yet to be constituted cabinet were contacted last week. They were asked to take their curricula vitae to the office of the chief of staff to the governor and the secretary to the state government.

Zamfara State’s Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle has not also nominated his cabinet members yet. The Director General, Press Affairs in the government house, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, said that the cabinet list is yet to be submitted to the state house of assembly. He did not specifically tell our correspondent when the cabinet members would be nominated.

The situation is the same in Kwara State where Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is also yet to constitute his cabinet members that will assist him in piloting the affairs of state. The governor had however sent a letter to the state house of assembly seeking for approval to appoint some special advisers which was granted before the Sallah break. Surprisingly, Abdulrazaq has not named the assistants. This has generated a lot of discussion in the state with observers expressing the suspicion that the governor is being controlled by some people, hence the delay in the appointment of commissioners and other aides.

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has so far appointed only one commissioner, Barrister El-Marzuk Ahmad, who has since resumed at the Ministry of Justice. Ahmad’s name was sent to the assembly and cleared before Masari was sworn in for his second term.

Similarly, 12 weeks since his inauguration, Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong is yet to form his cabinet. The governor however made his first appointment on July 29th when he appointed Makut Simon Macham as Director of Press Affairs, Governor’s Office. The governor had dissolved the State Executive Council on the midnight of 28th May, less than 24 hours to his swearing in for a second term in office. He however mandated the State Attorney General and the Acting Secretary to the State Government, Richard Tokma, to remain in office pending the reconstitution of a new cabinet.

Also in Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule has not nominated anybody yet as potential cabinet member/commissioner.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is yet to constitute his full cabinet three months after his second term inauguration. The governor had few weeks after his inauguration appointed a secretary to the state government and two commissioners: finance and justice. The governor at a recent function in Port Harcourt said he will be very careful in selecting those that will work with him.

•Adapted from a Daily Trust report

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