The Emerging ‘Diezani’ in Buhari’s Cabinet -By Ralph Ugbelu

Petroleum resources minister Diezani Alison-Madueke was, until the elections, arguably the most powerful woman in President Goodluck Jonathan’s government. She is being reborn into the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari. Two women are currently struggling for the coveted position: Sharon Olive Ikeazor and Hadiza Bala Usman. They are the only women who have worked their way onto President-elect Buhari’s Inaugural Committee and may well be part of the next cabinet.

Ikeazor, a lawyer, was chosen as woman leader of the APC, a position she held also in the CPC before the merger that gave birth to the APC. While woman leader in the APC, she was accused of marginalising fellow women in the party. She called meetings of prominent members in a bid to cement her ascension to the ranks. In one particular incident, Sharon convened a meeting of APC prominent women which some of the “First Ladies” of the party attended. When all the women had assembled, she asked the non-first ladies to immediately leave the venue, as she had more important issues to discuss with the “First Ladies” in private. She had put in place very few programmes for women during her time as woman leader but used the platform to pursue her ambition.

Few people know Ikeazor’s religion. She hails from Anambra State but those who worked with her in the APC maintain that they do not know her religion. Allegedly, in the midst of Muslims, she identifies herself as a Muslim; however, when Christians are meeting, she parades herself as a born-again. Her marital status is also unknown, but there are speculations that her eyes are fixed on a prominent Nigerian.

The second woman, Usman, is married to Tanimu Yakubu, who was ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua’s economic adviser. Before and after her marriage to Yakubu, less than six years ago, Usman worked closely with Nasir el-Rufai (now governor-elect of Kaduna State) in the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Federal Capital Territory when el-Rufai was DG and minister respectively. As APC’s deputy national secretary and as governorship candidate, el-Rufai always had Usman as personal assistant. He got her another job as secretary to the DG of APC Presidential Campaign, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

Though not an official member of the presidential campaign, Usman was often referred to as “admin officer”, a position she used to good advantage. Names of other women rarely appeared on committees and she was always involved in every activity. From the campaigns, she hopped onto the “Bring Back Our Girls” movement. Until recently, many thought she was the initiator of the BBOG. But Mrs Maryam Uwais (allegedly on the advice of el-Rufai) brought her into the campaign to coordinate it after a discussion that saw one Laila St Mathew initiate the idea and suggest the name BBOG. Getting Usman into the presidential inaugural committee required only a phone call from el-Rufai to APC national chairman John Oyegun.

The duo may not be the only women reaching for the top in the next government, but they seem to be the most ambitious. All the fake ministerial lists that have been leaked to the public have included the names of both women; one of them has been accused of sponsoring the list.  Using their new-found positions, they are allegedly alienating other women, even as both struggle to have Buhari’s ear in every matter. Since it is almost certain that one or both of them will end up in the cabinet, we may be witnessing the making of one or two of Buhari’s very own Diezanis.

Mr. Ugbelu wrote from Abuja.