What we know about Buhari’s replacement of Dakuku Peterside as NIMASA DG

Former House of Representatives member and 2015 gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dakuku Peterside is on his way out as the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 for a four-year-term, Dakuku’s tenure ends on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 after several failed attempts to convince the president to renew his appointment.

However, reports have it that the president has already approved the appointment of Bashir Jamoh, the current Executive Director, Administration and Finance of the agency as the new Director General.

Aso Rock Power Play and the Politics of 2023

Observers are already speculating that the non renewal of Dr Dakuku’s tenure may not be unconnected with the politics leading to and jostling for pole position for the 2023 presidential elections. As most observers of Aso rock power play know, various camps have emerged and are positioning themselves to present President Buhari’s replacement in the 2023 presidential election. The most powerful of these appears to be that head by the powerful Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. His group is speculated to be positioning to present among others, one of their own, Babagana Kingibe as Buhari’s replacement in 2023.

There is also the Tinubu group, who some say the current SGF, Boss Mustapha and former SGF, Babachir Lawal are said to be propping.

According to some Aso Rock watchers TNG spoke with last night, the non-renewal of Dakuku’s tenure is part of the muzzling of Transportation minister and close confidant of President Buhari, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, who Aso Rock power players fear might throw his hat in the ring in the 2023 presidential race. Though those in the know claim Amaechi has not shown any inclination to run for the office of President, there are concerted moves to completely dissuade him from contemplating it altogether. NIMASA being a powerful, money generating organization, the thinking is that an Amaechi loyalist should not be allowed to superintendent it going into the elections.

The thinking of these groups is that Amaechi should be weakened on all fronts. This is especially so since he is perceived to be too close to the President, stubborn and currently appears to be the poster boy of the Buhari administration given his acknowledged strides in rail infrastructural developments across the country.

With Dakuku out of the way, all the strategic departments in the Transportation ministry are now headed by loyalists to the Aso Rock power players.

Dakuku’s absence at National Assembly Joint Committee

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Dakuku’s impending removal may not be connected with his ‘unavoidable’ absence at a National Assembly Joint Committee in Abuja on Tuesday. Recall that President Buhari had earlier warned heads of federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) against shunning Senate/Reps invitation.

The National Assembly joint committee which is investigating activities of foreign vessel owners in the country on Tuesday walked out the representatives of NIMASA from a public hearing because Peterside failed to honour the rescheduled meeting.

But on Wednesday, the agency’s Head of Public Relations, Isichei Osamgbi, said Peterside was unable to appear before the NASS committee as he was in Lagos, leading other management staff of the agency to receive members of the House Committee on Maritime Safety Education and Administration who were on an oversight visit.

Osamgbi said, “The DG could not personally be in Abuja to honour the invitation by the NASS joint committee investigating activities of foreign vessel owners in the country due to the clash of both events.

“NIMASA management communicated same to the national assembly joint committee, requesting for a change of date.

“However, a member of the executive management, the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Gambo Ahmed, led the high powered team to represent the agency.”

But the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Contents, Senator Teslim Folarin, and his colleague in the House of Representatives, Legor Idagbo, lamented the decision of Peterside to shun the invitation despite several reminders.

“This is an investigative hearing which supersedes any other engagement. We won’t sit here and be wasting our time. We will give him one more chance, just one chance. If he failed to honour the next invitation, we know what to do,” Folarin said.

Presidency keeps mum

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, Femi Adesina, when contacted this evening said he has heard of the replacement but it was not from his office that TNG should contact the SGF’s office.

Also, the Director, Press, Ministry of Transportation, Ojiekwe Eric, when contacted for reactions said: “that was the information I had. As soon as the ministry confirms it, we will issue a statement to that effect.”

If Dakuku’s sack and Jamoh’s subsequent appointment as new DG is confirmed, TNG reports that all DGs of the transportation ministry are now held by northerners. These include; NPA, NIMASA, Shippers Council, NRC and NIWA.

TNG further gathered that Intense lobby to have Dakuku’s tenure renewed was frustrated by those close to the president in the villa.

Profile of Dakuku’s likely successor, Bashir Jamoh

56 year-old Jamoh hails from Kaduna State. He is currently the President of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CiOTA).

He holds a PhD from the University of Port Harcourt, specialising in Logistics and Transport Management.

He also holds a master’s degree in Management from Korea Maritime and Ocean University, a post-graduate diploma in Management Sciences from Bayero University, Kano and a diploma in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Jamoh is also said to have 32 years of professional experience in the transportation and maritime sector. He is the author of the book “Harnessing Nigeria’s Maritime Assets: Past, Present, and Future.”

Jamoh joined NIMASA in 2003 as an assistant Chief Commercial Officer, eastern and central zones.

He served with the Kaduna State Government before transferring his services to the then National Maritime Authority in 1994.