Nicknames of five Nigerian ministers

The economic downturn in Nigeria has had a negative effect on Nigerians and indeed the Nigerian economy. 

Many have heaped the blame on the Muhammadu Buhari administration which, they say, have not fulfilled any of its campaign promises.

Particularly, President Buhari has come under heavy criticism for the caliber of people he has appointed into the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as ministers to help him oversee the affairs of the country.

While many Nigerians fume daily about the low performance of the ministers, they have also in the course of contributing to public discourse given the ministers some nick names.

Legit.ng has collected some of them from our meetings with Nigerians (street gist), as given below:

1. Babatunde Fashola (the Minister of Darkness):

The former Lagos state governor is one man many Nigerians hoped will immediately hit the ground running as soon as he was appointed. This is due to the fact that he performed well as Lagos state governor and he is also overseeing three key ministries - power, works and housing. But the minister has not shown any signs of tackling the problems in the ministries head on. He recently dismissed insinuations that he is overwhelmed by the ministries he is handling. It is safe to say his reputation as an excellent public servant is at stake.

2. Dr Ibe Kachikwu (the Minister of Subsidy):

He is perhaps the most criticized member of the FEC. This is due to the fact that there was fuel scarcity under his watch for weeks and also all his promises that the situation will change turned out to be false. In tackling the issue once and for all, Kachikwu pushed for the deregulation of the oil sector which further reduced his popularity among Nigerians. The Delta-born former Mobil executive has however used any opportunity at his disposal to explain the government's move and it is paying off.

3. Alhaji Lai Mohammed (the Lying Liar):

He has one of the most difficult jobs in Nigeria. He is a constant feature in public discourse because of his role as the government's mouth piece. He has always taken pains to explain the government's genuine intentions for the masses. Although he has also not helped his cause as he always end up misleading Nigerians instead of informing them. His  name don't help matters as his first name - Lai is pronounced as 'Lie'. To make matters worse, Lai never admits the government is wrong even when the evidence is overwhelming. He was recently quoted as saying he is paying for talking too much before the 2015 elections.

4. Senator Udoma Udo Udoma (the Minister of Padding): 

He was a successful private sector and boardroom guru before he was appointed the nation's minister of budget and national planning. Right under his watch, a monumental fraud of unequaled proportion took place, but Udoma was either not vigilant or he wasn't just bothered. Since his appointment, Udoma is best known for his polished accents, fantastic smiling photographs and his signature Akwa Ibom attires.

5. Dr Chris Ngige (the Minister of Hard Labour): 

Clearly an appointment based on political patronage, Ngige is definitely not in tune with international labour laws. When he is not issuing threats, he is busy fuming at labour leaders or blaming every other person, group or organisation for his own shortcomings. He admitted himself publicly that the junior minister in his ministry, the late James Ocholi was the life wire of the ministry. Since Ocholi's demise, Ngige has been struggling to make a mark as a member of the FEC.

Source: Legit.ng