Ministerial nominees: Kaduna rejects Amina Mohammed

Ministerial nominees: Kaduna rejects Amina Mohammed

By GoBroadsheet

A Kaduna-based human rights and good governance advocacy group. Centrum Initiative for Development and Fundamental Rights Initiative (CEDRA), has raised an alarm over the authenticity of ministerial nominee from Kaduna, Amina Mohammed whether she is indigene of the State.

It was alleged that Amina Mohammed is an indigene of Gombe State, thereby not qualify to represent Kaduna state as a minister on the basis of federal character arrangement.

The group’s Board Chairman, John Danfulani said, preferably a southern Kaduna indigene should be considered for the ministerial nominee based on power sharing formulae already established in the state.

“We strongly object to the nomination of the Ministerial nominee for Kaduna State, Amina Mohammed. Our objection is predicated on the fact that we have reasons to believe that she is not an indigene of Kaduna State as provided in the Constitution. She is an indigene of Gombe State. Section 147(1), (2) and (3) of the Constitution provides as follows:

“147. (1) There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President. 

“(2) Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President. 

“(3) Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:- 

“Provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State. 

“From the above constitutional provisions, each State of the Federation must have a Minister who must be an indigene of that State. If the nomination of Amina Mohammed is allowed by the Senators, especially, you, the Distinquished Senators from Kaduna State, the indigenes of the State will be short-changed; and this will be unconstitutional.

“We pray that you will use your good offices to reject the nomination of the said Amina Mohammed and direct that an indigene of Kaduna State preferably from Southern Kaduna senatorial district be nominated and sent to the Senate for screening. The need to have a nominee from Southern Kaduna is very important if the power sharing formulae in the state is to be maintained and give the people a sense of belonging at the federal level. 

“Usually, the political offices in Kaduna State have always been fairly shared or distributed amongst the three (3) Senatorial Districts in line with the principles of Federal Character enshrined in section 14 (3) and (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For instance, where the Governor comes from the North Kaduna Senatorial District, the Deputy Governor and the Ministerial slot will be zoned to South Kaduna Senatorial District. The Central Kaduna Senatorial District will then take the other key positions.

“The attention of CEDRA has been drawn to the Ministerial nominee representing Kaduna State in the person of one, Amina Mohammed. We have serious objection to her nomination,” the statement however reads,” the group added.