Lawrence Olaoye and Johnchuks Onuanyim The delay in President Bola Tinubu announcing members of his cabinet has been attributed to the inability of some state governors to submit names of their nominees.
That was even as the list of that of the party leadership is said to be ready and former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura; Senator John Owan-Enoh, APC Cross River State governorship aspirant and Chairman, Governing Council, Kebbi State Polytechnic, Arc.
Waziri Bullama were said to be in the list. Multiple sources in the Presidency and party, confided in Sunday Telegraph that the delay in Tinubu making the list known and sending the same to the Senate for confirmation was caused by some of the state governors, who were yet to submit the list of their nominees.
One source said the President had mandated the governors to submit at least, three names each from which he could choose one to be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.
A source said: “Some of the governors, especially those of the ruling party, have been mandated to come up with three names each from which the President would choose one to be forwarded to the Senate for approval. While some have submitted, others have yet to come up with the list.”
He disclosed further that the governors who were yet to submit their nominees were having issues with their party stalwarts on who and who to be nominated.
According to the source, some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s leadership at the national level are also showing interest in nominees coming from their respective states and have demanded to have inputs.
He said the governors were getting close to reconciling their choice of nominees with their party leadership both at states and national levels. On nominees from opposition states, the source said those would be done by state leadership of the ruling APC in conjunction with the national leaders.
He, however, added that the interest of the President would prevail, where he has anyone in mind from those states. The source disclosed further that some other opposition leaders, who worked for Tinubu’s victory, may be given the privilege of suggesting names of those to be appointed as ministers from their states.
Our Source specifically mentioned Oyo and Rivers states as states that may enjoy the privilege of nominating ministers in the spirit of national unity.
The source, who hinted that the list of the ministers would be ready for transmission to the Senate in a few days, added that technocrats, regardless of their political affiliations, were also being considered for ministerial appointments by the President.
Meanwhile, barring any last minute change, former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Senator John Owan-Enoh, APC Cross River State governorship aspirant and Chairman, Governing Council, Kebbi State Polytechnic, Arc. Waziri Bullama would make the list.
A party Chieftain, who revealed this, also said the list would be released once President Tinubu returned from Paris, France. According to him, those were some of the inputs that National Leadership of the party made in the list.
The Chieftain said the Ministerial list would be made up of former governors and Senators. It would be recalled that the former Chairman of Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, had pleaded with the President to appoint the Senators, who didn’t return to the 10th Senate as Ministers.
Ndume made the call when he was decrying the number of the 9th Senators that couldn’t make it back to the Red Chambers.
However, the APC Integrity Group has said that the President should appoint men and women of character and competence as Ministers. Mallam Dawu Mohammed, the Coordinator of the group, reacting to the questions of the Ministers to be appointed, said the Ministers should not be on nepotism and favouritism as witnessed in the last administration.
He also warned that the Ministerial appointment should not be traded as alleged in the last dispensation. It was alleged that the 2019 Ministerial appointment was laced with kickbacks. Mohammed, speaking, said, for the Minister to deliver, they must be men and women of character and competence.
Whatever the President and the party have as compiled list should be properly reviewed to reflect the aspirations of Nigerians. “The President must guide against aides, political associates and family members trading with the list. “We expect the President and the party to be thorough in selecting especially those who will serve as Ministers.”
The APC chief, speaking under anonymity said: “The former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura; Senator John Owan-Enoh and Chief George Moghalu are among those to be announced as Ministerial nominees.
“These are party members that have served well in their previous positions in the party. “We just hope that the Presidency would not in any way change their minds concern- ing these persons.”
Senator Al-Makura lost his return election to the Senate, while Owan-Enoh was asked to withdraw his case against the governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu. Moghalu was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIWA and former National Auditor of the APC.
“The President would release the list once he is back from France,” the chieftain said.
