by Alexander O. Onukwue

A cabal is “a term used to refer to a group around the president which is believed to wield enormous powers”, according to a definition you can find on the Premium Times website.

The existence and constitution of the presidential cabal in Nigeria is becoming popular enough to become the stuff of political science professorship. Names are being mentioned by those who say they know how these things work, while different intentions are portrayed for each of those involved.

At the moment, the two most talked about views on the subject are from Mallam Garba Shehu and Dr Junaid Mohammed, a former federal legislator. Comments made by the latter in a newspaper interview and reflected in the general coverage for the best part of the past three months were described as “crazy” and “nonsensical’ by the Presidential spokesman.

Taking both views on the ‘cabal’ on the merit, two questions are to be asked by anyone who wishes to wrap his or her mind around the concept:

IS THE CABAL ABOVE OR BELOW OSINBAJO?

While it was speculated that Osinbajo could not assert full control on the Government in Buhari’s absence because of the intermediary that is the cabal, Dr Junaid Mohammed says the reverse was actually the case. “The cabal did not have the ‘free hand’ they had in the first absence of Buhari” he said. That would seem to conform with the statement of Garba Shehu that Abba Kyari offered all the support necessary for the Acting president at the time to do his job. So he offered it this time because the President demanded he did?

ARE THEY PRO OR ANTI-BUHARI?

“They (the cabal) are ruthless,” says Dr Mohammed. “If they find that they can have somebody who will replace Buhari and do their own bidding, they wouldn’t mind collaborating with him”. What should that suggest about the race for 2019 then?

Editor