Senator and former governor of Borno State, Kassim Shettima has expressed his admiration for the cabal which has been a controversial issue since President Buhari assumed office. Speaking at the 17th Edition of the Daily Trust Dialogue held in Abuja with the theme: “20 Years of Democracy in Nigeria: Strengths, Weaknesses and Opportunities”, Shettima stated that cabals exist in every government and he won’t mind being a member of such in Buhari’s government.
He also disclosed that such power brokers or inner caucus exist even in advanced democracies. Shettima said;
“I like power and If I have my way, now that am in Abuja, I won’t mind being part of the cabals.
“When Jimmy Carter was the president of America, he had his own cabal. They were called the Georgia Gang. Almost all his appointees were from Georgia.
“Even when our own brother, Barack Obama became president, about 16 top appointments in the Obama administration were from Chicago. His first two chief of staff, so also two secretaries, his two advisers were all from Chicago.
“Power does not exist in a vacuum”
He also pointed out that one of the shortfalls under the fourth republic is the inequality witnessed in Nigeria’s political space. The Senator urged Nigerians to learn from countries such as Rwanda where women are given equal opportunity to participate in government.
Shettima also admitted that selective application and adherence to the rule of law has weakened the country’s democracy.