By Desmond Ekwueme

In less than seven days, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has proven to Nigerians that indeed we are our problem and can fix our country if only we can be honest, firm and decisive to eschew nepotism, tribalism or ethnic bigotry and religious intolerance.

Perhaps all we need is the willpower and sincerity. We just have to put paid to government of kinsmen for kinsmen and by kinsmen…..or government of friendship for friendship and by friendship…To face the reality and real act of governance.

Osinbajo

Aside the sweeping move, bold step and courageous decision of firing the DG of DSS, Lawal Musa Daura, we must commend Osinbajo’s choice of Mathew Seiyefa as immediate replacement for Daura. It did not take the professor of law 24 hours to fish out a capable hand to run the affairs of the security cum intelligence outfit.

He did not play politics with it. He did not consult for too long. He did not consider party loyalists or party faithful to reach a wise decision or make a wise choice. Technocrats and experience hands are often better than all other mundane, frivolous and unpatriotic considerations and excuses in running government. The job had to go to the best hand, the most qualified, most senior in line of duty and above all the most merited staff within the organisation.

That Seiyefa hails from Bayelsa State ordinarily should have been a major hiccup in his appointment as Daura’s replacement if we follow the pattern of appointments in this administration since May 29, 2015 which has raised some dusts as many have described and condemned the appointments as lopsided. But good a thing, the development leading to Daura’s sack and the appointment of his successor fell on the laps or desk of Osinbajo who didn’t baiit an eyelid nor bother about where the new DSS DG hails from, his religious background or the fact that he is nearing retirement.

After the sack of Daura, the Acting President was quick to exonerate National Assembly leadership as fuelling the crisis despite the ranting of his party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole who has thrown decorum to the dogs and chosen to carry out his functions like a common party member at ward level.

The Acting President’s move No. 2 was to overhaul the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) whose operations have raised serious controversy in the last one year. The menace of SARS has brought great fear to Nigerians who dread the unit under the police force even more than armed robbers. Nigerians have continued to hail this reformist move by the Acting President.

Aside the prolonged and contunous complains against SARS, It is believed that it could have a line or schedule of duty that crosses the paths of the DSS hence the urgent need for it to be overhauled with immediate effect. This could be to avoid infiltration by loyalists of Daura in DSS into SARS. In the meantime, there is also a secret overhaul of DSS and it’s operations in entirety anchored by its new boss to make the service better. Indeed, the Acting President is now a hurricane sweeping the entire security and intelligence arms of government for effective, efficient and professional operations and conduct.

Those at the corridors of Aso Villa say, Osinbajo is already preparing his report to be handed over to his boss on return and part of that report contains advice on areas to reform and effect quick and maximum changes. It is believed that Osinbajo in the last one week has uncovered or discovered several “holes on the body of this administration”. This suggests that Daura may not be acting alone as there could be others like him holding key positions in government especially within the presidency.

The Acting President has resolved to confront these monsters headlong with the determination to flush them out of the system which is this government. This could form part of the content of his report to his principal on return from vacation in London.

Meanwhile, there is a sense of control and transparency around the presidency since hurricane Osinbajo blew away Daura. This much was revealed by a source in the presidency to Yours Sincerely. It is hoped that this will continue even after Mr. President returns for impunity to be buried once and for all. “Impunity leads to massive corruption if not checked”, my source added.