New APC: Buhari pushes Amaechi to power outskirt

The All Progressives Congress (APC) government has in recent time been showing symptoms of some internal political forces rising to displace the others both in the party structure and the government. The seeming grand plot is icing into the very fabric of the APC edifice.

Apparently, President Muhammadu Buhari may subtly be pushing the Director General of his presidential campaign organization, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transport, into the edge of decision-making in his administration. This symptom reflected in the reported firing of the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, on Wednesday without the knowledge of the minister supervising the agency.

It would appear that consultations were not made, neither were there recommendations, at least from the ministry supervising the agency.

Amaechi on Thursday in Abuja decried that he was not aware of the reported sack of the NIMASA DG, Dakuku Peterside, his political ally from Rivers State, appointed in Buhari’s first tenure.

Amaechi had in Abuja acknowledged that the tenure of Dakuku expires on Tuesday. He noted that until the tenure expires before recommendations are made; he, however, admitted the discretionary powers of the president and the recommendation authority of the minister in making appointments into agencies.

Expressing disbelief on the emerging trend in the APC government, Amaechi stated: “until his tenure expires, that is when you can approach Mr. President either to reappoint or replace him. By law, the President has appointment authority, while the minister has the recommendation authority.”

Amaechi, therefore, lame noted:  “As the Minister of Transport, I should know. Government does not take unilateral decisions, if he were to be sacked, I should have been intimated of his sack, but I am not aware. Although his tenure expires on Tuesday.”

Doubting the news, the Transport Minister said: “I don’t think the news is right, I feel it’s mere speculations, they should wait till next Tuesday. “Like I said the president has the authority to appoint whoever he wants to appoint and if he wants to extend his tenure he can do so.”

President Buhari reported on Wednesday to have approved the appointment of Dr. Bashir Jamoh to replace Dakuku Peterside as the Director-General of NIMASA. Peterside has been DG of NIMASA in the past four years.

Jamoh was Executive Director, Finance and Administration, in NIMASA.