On Wednesday October 9, President Muhammmadu Buhari summoned all the Ministers that served under him when he was the military Head of State between January 1984 and August 1985. He summoned them to the State House in Abuja in what is now referred to as the reunion of class ‘84/85. Why Buhari summoned these Ministers after more than four years as President and after he has been overthrown as a Military ruler since 1985 could be better explained by the President himself.

DURING the interim government under Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan (83) in January 1993, the following were appointed as Ministers of State: Alhaji Isa Mohammed (Agriculture), Alhaji Bello Dogondaji (Commerce and Tourism), Alhaji Umaru Baba(Defence), Professor Ben Nwabueze(Education and Youth Development), Alhaji Saidu Isa(Foreign Affairs), Dr.(Mrs) Laraba Daggash(Health and Human Services), Alhaji Oladuni Ayandipo(Power, Mines and Steel), Mrs Emily Imoukhuede (States and Local Government Affairs) and Yusufu Galadima (Transport and Communications).

WHEN President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, inaugurated his cabinet on August 21, two burning issues were omitted in his speech. I am sure the issues must have been discussed at the ministerial retreat organised by the office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the President felt it was no longer necessary to reopen discussions on the two issues during the cabinet inauguration.

I decided to play the fool, and a report was made of how General Magashi and I laughed when one of the lecturers amused us

DURING the intrigues leading to General Sani Abacha’s assumption of power in November 1993, Brigadier General Bashir S. Magashi was given command of the Brigade of Guards in September. He was a member of the Abacha Military Caucus that reviewed the military and the political situation resulting from annulment of the June 12, 1993, issuing a report titled “The Way Forward” with recommendations for a partial military regime.

General Magashi is going to be under severe pressure from his colleagues both serving and retired military officers

WE were singly and severally accused of connivance in action and so forth. Public anger reached its peak. You set up a reconciliation committee headed by the Ebonyi State governor, Dr. Sam Egwu, and we all thought this would help calm nerves and perhaps bring about some respite.

The puzzle is on why President Obasanjo picked on Chief Ogbeh to be the national chairman

The growth of the power and influence of the office of chief of staff depends on the President

When President Obasanjo in 1999 created that office, he wanted the chief of staff to be the head of his domestic staff

President Olusegun Obasanjo created that office for the first time in 1999 to follow the American pattern

The Due Process mechanism has not offered anything new judging by the contents of the existing Financial Regulations

When the due process unit took off in 2001, it took over functions and powers of the directors of finance and supplies of the various ministries

It was the NPP-NPN accord that enabled the NPP members to become ministers in 1979

Personal interest not regional or religious interest is the first priority of every politician