Okorocha’s in law, Barth Nnaji, Odimegwu
alsoBarely three days after submitting the
list of the first set of ministerial nominees,
President Muhammadu Buhari is weighing
options on the next batch of
nominees.Last minutes of intense horse-
trading and lobbying are ongoing in the
affected states.
There were strong indications yesterday
that the Presidency is shopping for a new
Group Managing Director for the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
following the nomination of the present
holder, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu as a Minister-
designate.
The thinking of the presidency is that since
Kachikwu will be the Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources, he cannot continue
to be in charge of NNPC.
It was learnt that President Buhari believes
a Minister cannot be a regulator and an
operator at the same time.
Investigation by our correspondent
revealed that the jostle for the other slots
has become intense in the last 72 hours.
Most of the states are Ondo, Kogi, Abia,
Enugu, Imo, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross River,
Nasarawa, Yobe, Zamfara, Osun, Kaduna,
Bauchi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Lagos
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence,
said: “Despite the fact that the President
has set his own criteria, he is weighing
options on the remaining candidates
because of interplay of factors.
“Although some aides are proposing the
retention of the 42-man ministerial
structure, others are urging the President
to stick to the 36-team model prescribed
by the 1999 Constitution.
“The submission of the first batch of 21
names to the Senate has heightened lobby
for the remaining slots.”
It was gathered that governors, party
leaders at all levels and associates have
been trying to reach out to the President
and “strategic aides.”
But the battle for the slots was said to be
keen at press time because no one knew
the mindset of the President.
Another source said: “For instance in Imo,
ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo wants the
slot for a former Chairman of the National
Population Commission (NPC), Chief
Festus Odimegwu but Governor Rochas
Okorocha is rooting for his in-law, Prof.
Anthony Anwuka (a former vice
chancellor).
“Also in contention is a former
governorship candidate of the defunct
Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) in
2011, Hon. Emeka Nwajuba.
“In Abia State, the jostle is between
Buhari’s old associate, Ike Emenike and
the party’s governorship candidate, Anyim
Nzeribe, who is a loyalist of Governor
Rochas Okorocha in the state.”
“Having been familiar with the politics of
Kaduna, President Buhari is taking sole
charge of the ministerial nominee from the
state, based on certain indices.
“In fact, Governor Nasir el-Rufai is actually
staying away from making any input in the
nomination process. He has left the
President and other stakeholders to sort it
out.
“In Ondo State, the race for the ticket is
between a former President of the Nigerian
Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu
(SAN) and a top politician from the state,
who was an executive of a multinational
company.
“In Osun, there are three candidates for the
slot and Buhari is expected to pick one.
They are ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola
(recommended for his support and loyalty
to Governor Rauf Aregbesola and APC); the
immediate past Vice Chancellor of the
University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole
and a prominent politician in the state.
“Apart from also being a favourite of
Obasanjo, ex-Governor Oyinlola’s
candidacy is also being promoted by some
forces in APC.
In Enugu State, our source said the list is
longer despite the fact that the state
chapter of APC could only garner 14,000
votes (less than 3 per cent of the total
votes cast) for Buhari.
The source added: “We have Comrade
Osita Okechukwu, who is a reliable
associate of Buhari. Although Okechukwu,
the National Publicity Secretary of CNPP,
has not met Buhari since his inauguration,
he is said to be not too keen.
“But others vying for ministerial slot are
ex-Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji
(seeking a third term in FEC); APC National
Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma
Eneukwu; APC governorship candidate,
Chief Okey Ezea and Chief Onyemuche
Nnamani.
“In spite of the Kwara State slot going to
the National Publicity Secretary of APC,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the President of the
Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki is still lobbying
for the return of his “godson” and ex-
minister of sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, who
was the Deputy Chairman of the Strategy
Committee for the APC Presidential
Campaign Council.
Abdullahi was rated as an asset during the
campaign, and for resigning from ex-
President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet, he
has earned the respect of some APC
leaders.
“Saraki’s position may lead to the
resuscitation of geopolitical representation
in the Federal Executive Council to make
the team 42.”
Investigation revealed that the challenge at
hand is how Buhari will manage the choice
of the remaining ministers because there
are more than qualified party members,
technocrats and long-standing and trusted
associates.
A source in the Presidency added: “From
the look of things, we may have to resort
to consensus on some nominees as the
case in some states.
“Let me give you the example of Ekiti
State. When the nomination of the
candidate for the state was knotty, ex-
Governors Niyi Adebayo and Segun Oni
met with Buhari where Oni declared
without reservation that the slot should be
given to Dr. Kayode Fayemi. And that
assisted in tackling the matter.
As at press time, findings confirmed that
most APC governors were shocked that the
President did not allow them to make input
into the choice of his ministers.
A source in the APC Governors Forum said:
“The President determined those he wanted
to work with him. To a large extent, the
governors were not consulted on those
picked from our states. But they have to
bear with the President because it is his
constitutional prerogative.
He said many governors woke up to read
the list of cabinet members like every
Nigerian.
“Since the President does not choose
commissioners for the governors, they
cannot pick his ministers for him. I think
he is trying to do away with the past
culture put in place by the PDP.
“The governors were no doubt shocked or
surprised but the consolation is that he
has chosen credible people.”
Apart from the governors, senators
desirous of having the ministerial list
would have to wait till Tuesday because
the Senate President was said to have
refused to open the envelope sent to him.
A Senator said: “We have all been
pestering Saraki to have a glimpse of what
was sent to him by the President but he
said he would not open it until Tuesday.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency is shopping for
a new Group Managing Director for the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) because the present GMD. Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu, is minister-designate.
“The thinking in the Presidency is that as a
minister, Kachikwu cannot be a regulator
and an operator at the same time.
“We have had instances in the past when
the two portfolios were combined, but the
Presidency does not think along this line at
present. Kachikwu is an asset; this is why
he is moving up.
“After the inauguration of the ministers, a
new GMD may be appointed by the
President after consultations with
Kachikwu and other stakeholders.”




wwwthenationonlineng.net/2nd-ministerial-list-oyinlola%E2%80%88akeredolu-ex-ui-vc-on-the-card-as-buhari-ponders-over-fresh-nominees/#

Ok

The list is full of politicians. The technocrats are Prof. Barth Nnaji and Dr Ibe Kachikwu. The others are professionals who might not be given their field to manage(eg. Akeredolu ought to be AGF, but we know Malami Abubakar, who is also a Legal luminary, is being prepared for the job).

I am beginning to love this list. It will give folks like Mr Femi Falana(SAN), Pat Utomi, Festus Keyamo and Oby Ezekwesili freedom to return to their former selves. They have been gravitating toward and grovelling before Buhari, eating their words like dog will its poo and sounding very unintelligent and pathetic on account of expecting their names on #TheList.

For people like Dele Momodu; it is back to hustling for photo opportunities with important people and passing himself off as 'an important' Nigerian.