Social commentator and former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of his son-in-law, Oladimeji Ojo, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority, FHA.
Ojo is one of the beneficiaries of the President’s approval of the reconstitution of the Executive Management teams of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Some Nigerians, especially on social media, have raised eyebrows over the appointment, insisting that Nigeria is not a family business.
On his part, Omokri, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and supporter of Atiku Abubakar, believes there is absolutely nothing wrong with the appointment as long as the appointee could discharge the duties assigned to him.
Ojo, a former member of the House of Representatives, is married to Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of the President.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with President Tinubu appointing his son-in-law as the head of the Federal Housing Authority, as long as the man concerned is qualified for the job. That is not nepotism,” Omokri wrote on X.
“President John F Kennedy appointed his brother, Robert F Kennedy, as his Attorney General and most trusted aide. President Donald Trump nominated his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as a Senior Advisor to the President as well as head of the American Office of Innovation.
“Ten other American Presidents besides Trump and Kennedy have appointed family members to executive positions in the U.S. Federal Government.
“It only becomes nepotism when there is a pattern, and that pattern grants advantages to your relatives and or friends over others who are more qualified than them. A single incident does not become a pattern.”