• Super Admin
• 07 Mar, 2026

In this interview with Dr Abdussalam Kani, an economist and academic at Sa'adatu Rimi College of Education in Kano state, he discusses the recent nomination of Ayodele as Minister of State for Finance and the implications of concentrating revenue-generating ministries, departments and agencies in one region. What is your assessment of the performance of the economy, is it improving? To sufficiently assert that an economy is improving, you must look at indicators such as poverty levels, unemployment, standard of living, agricultural productivity, and foreign debt. From the time this government took over, poverty has escalated, unemployment has worsened, and insecurity has deepened. Inflation has declined, but insignificantly. Our reserves have improved, but again insignificantly. When you compare the revenue generated from subsidy removal and tax expansion with the debt burden, you see that the economy has not improved beyond expectation. Look at the power sector, infrastructural deficit, education, maternal and child mortality -- these are areas where progress is either absent or negligible. So, while there are minor improvements, they are not sufficient to claim that the economy is truly improving. What do you make of the composition of the current government where most of the revenue-generating ministries and agencies are in the hands of a particular section of the country? This is a clear violation of Nigeria's constitution. The principle of federal character is meant to ensure equity and fairness in appointments. Concentrating economic leadership in one zone is sectionalism. It denies other regions a sense of belonging and undermines national unity. Governance should not be about favoring one's own people; it should be about competence distributed fairly across all geopolitical zones. People say this is due to merit... Competence is not confined to one region. Nigeria has qualified economists, accountants, and administrators across the north, west, and south. To suggest otherwise is misleading. The appointments are not based on merit but favoritism. Federal character exists precisely to prevent one region from dominating others. Merit and balance must go hand in hand. Yes. During late President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, similar lopsided appointments were made, favoring the north. That institutionalized the practice, and unfortunately, the current government is continuing it. We raised concerns then, just as we are doing now. It is not new, but repetition does not make it right. But people say Buhari also allocated key positions to northerners. Is that the case? Indeed, Buhari's government concentrated key positions in the north. We voiced concerns at the time, warning that such imbalance would create disunity. It set a precedent that others now follow. Illegality is illegality, regardless of who commits it. Now we have a situation where the two ministers of finance are going to be from the same zone, how fair is that? It is unfair and unconstitutional. Appointments should reflect federal character. Having both finance ministers from one zone denies other regions participation in managing the economy. It sends a wrong signal that only one region is trusted with critical responsibilities. Is it that the president doesn't trust people from other parts of the country? That can be a possibility, but more importantly, it is a continuation of what was institutionalized by previous administrations. The National Assembly should have checked this, but it has become a toothless bulldog. The issue is not about trust alone; it is about political division, weak civil society, and lack of unity in other regions, which allowed sectionalism to thrive. How can such things be prevented, that is, one side dominating one sector of the economy? The National Assembly must intervene by rejecting nominees that contravene constitutional provisions. Civil society and pressure groups should also peacefully call government attention to violations. Appointments should be guided strictly by the constitution, ensuring unity, equity, justice, and fairness. Without such checks, sectionalism will continue. What would be your advice to the opposition and to the government? The opposition should remain organized and united. They should peacefully and constitutionally challenge wrong actions, seek redress in court, organize press conferences, and use these issues as campaign points during elections. They can mobilize civil society, present position papers to the National Assembly, and even stage peaceful protests to call attention to violations. The government, on its part, must be guided strictly by the constitution. It should ensure that appointments reflect federal character, giving every region a sense of belonging. Failure to do so has serious political consequences, because during elections, regions will ask how fairly they were treated and represented. Why do you think Oyedele was appointed as minister? Oyedele is competent and well known internationally in finance and tax matters. He played a significant role in tax reform and law enactment. His appointment is not in question in terms of qualification. He has demonstrated sufficient understanding of tax-related matters globally. Competence is not the issue here -- fairness and balance are. Does the work he did on the tax reform qualify him for such a position? Yes, his work in tax reform qualifies him. He has shown expertise and leadership in tax-related matters. He is a professional of high standing. But again, the problem is not his competence; it is the lopsidedness of appointments from one region. Source: https://dailytrust.com/concentrating-revenue-generating-agencies-in-one-region-violates-constitution-economist/