Ministerial Nomination: Dr. Pantami’s Nomination, Not a Surprise -By Muhammad Auwal

In most cases, it is not my interest to comment on the Nigerian political issues. Despite the fact that I was taught government for three years during my high school days and I am currently studying a social sciences course. But the noise making by a noise maker made on ministerial nominee, Dr. Pantami made me to conclude to write and publish this piece. It attempts to educate those who don’t know the system of government we are practising and its features.

Recently, noise was made that ministerial nomination list was yet to be out. Some even went ahead to say this and that are fit and unfit respectively. Now, that the list is out, they are beginning to make more noise. What do they want again? When bad leaders are opposed, then good leaders should be supported. But I don’t know why is someone making noise.

I knew Dr. Pantami a long time ago. I was even opportuned to meet him on several occasions. Apart from meeting him, I later on,started listening to his Tafsir both in audio clips and on Progress and Alheri radio. Also, I read some of his works. “Dr. Pantami: A New Promising Nigerian Leader at NITDA” is an essay I wrote about 6 months ago, highlighting his achievements at NITDA. It is a known fact to all of us in Gombe and Nigeria at large, how he smoothly runs NITDA since from 2016 to date. For this, many people are commending him. We have seen how so many developments were recorded under his leadership. (Buba, 2016) and (Garko, 2019) described Dr. Pantami as “an epitome of boko dole” and “a jewel” in Dr. Isa Pantami’s Appointment As A Metaphor and A Jewel From My Jewel City” respectiveliy.

Dr. Isa Ali Pantami’s nomination as a minister by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR does not come to me as a surprise owing to his well known qualities. Therefore, he deserved it. Isn’t it great to have somebody like Dr. Pantami as a nominated minister from Gombe? What leadership qualities is he lacking? Is it competence, knowledge and/or just? (Shehu) asserted these as some of the leadership qualities in social justice leadership responsibility in Islam. Does the person that holds Ph.D not fit for ministerial nomination? Does the person who recorded so many achievements at NITDA in 3 years not deserving ministerial nomination? Then, who do you think deserves? I challenge that noise maker to provide the name of the person he thinks they deserve, so that we would compare and contrast.

Every patriotic Nigerian will love to have good leaders heading all the government MDAs. We shouldn’t care whether he is a politician or not. And whether he suffered for a political party or not. What is expected of all of us, is to care to have one who is willing to take Nigeria to a more brighter stage. We should care to have one who is ready to dedicate his time to work towards putting our dear nation to a better and higher step. Whether he is in the ruling party or in the opposition party. That is what is expected from all us if truely we are patriotic Nigerians. It can be considered as selfishness if a person from Gombe makes noise about his nomination. Even if everybody is making noise, the people of Gombe should not. Rather we should commend the president for choosing him and pray may Allah help them.

(Tilde, 2018) in his essay “Pantami as a metaphor”, quoted Dr. MD Aminu in his essay “Dr. Pantami: A Role Model of Leadership in Nigeria” which I also quoted: what Nigeria needs at this trying moments is people like Dr. Pantami to influence the affairs of government. The dirt in Nigeria’s leadership can only be cleansed by encouraging good people to participate in the leadership process to flush it out of its current situation, its wanton depravity.

Similarly, Luqman Buba Umdagaz stated in his essay “Dr. Isa Pantami’s Appointment As A Metaphor” and I quoted: As it is known to many, the president’s biggest battle is the fight against corruption, thus he must have found Dr. Pantami having great potentials in cleaning the mess in the agency.

We are not in a parliamentary system of government, where ministers are only selected from the political party of the prime minister. In  Nigeria, we are practising presidential system of government, where ministers can be selected from the ruling party and/or any other party. Therefore, even if Dr. Pantami is not from the president’s party, he can be nominated so long as the president chooses him. 

I don’t know why people who don’t know the system of government we are practising and its features comment on  Nigeria’s political issues as if they are experts.We are not the president. Why should we be the ones to choose his cabinet? We should allow him to choose his cabinet and wait for the legislators to do their work i.e screening.  Deciding on who deserves it shouldn’t be our business. That is the work of the legislators. We should not forget one of our responsibility of supporting the government as long as its policies are not evil and abominable  as (Shehu) asserted.

Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim, Gombe.