Former Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, outgoing governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Sampson Ogah , the governorship candidate of the party in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru and the strong man of Benue politics, Barnabas Gemade are among the top shots being considered for the ministerial list in their respective states.
According to impeccable sources, others who have been penciled down to make the list include the governorship candidate of APC in the last governorship election in Anambra State, Tony Nwoye, Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajumobi and former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio and the former National President of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Senator Smart Adeyemi.
Few weeks ago, the Spokesman of the President, Mr Femi Adeshina said the President will dissolve the Federal Executive Council before May 29.
“Many of the Ministers have commenced intense lobbying to retain their jobs despite being nominated by a recognized political caucus in their states” the source told Nigerian NewsDirect.
Sources close to the Presidency revealed to Nigerian NewsDirect that four categories of people are being considered, high profile politicians who can win elections for the party, resourceful technocrats of international repute, Youths who have made giant strides in relevant fields and women. “The job is being coordinated by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, “the source hinted.
Section 147 subsection 3 of 1999 constitution as amended stated that the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State.
Nigerian NewsDirect gathered that various political groups in Osun State have unanimously lined up behind Aregbesola to take the slot of the State in the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Aregbesola is also seen as the closest ally of the National leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Another close ally of Tinubu being considered for the ministerial slot is Ajimobi. He is considered a very loyal member of the party. Ajimobi is also close to the President. He was the governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party in 2007 when Buhari was the presidential candidate of the party. The two politicians had since kept the relationship before they met again in APC.
In Abia State, the oil magnate, Sampson Uchechukwu Ogah has been penciled down to fill the ministerial slot of the State. In 2015 and 2019, Ogah lost the governorship election to the incumbent, Okezie Ikpeazu. The Banker turned oil magnate is one of the Ministers expected to lead the rejuvenated economic team of the President
The situation in Ogun State is a bit clumsy. While the outgoing governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun is still very close to the inner caucus of the Presidency, the Southwest group of the party led by Tinubu which also include Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba are blowing hot on whom to produce the Ministerial nominee from the State.
Amosun sponsored a political group. Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against his party APC in the last governorship election, although he made it clear that everybody in APM would return back to APC immediately after the election. He had since ordered all the former APM members to return to APC.
READ ALSO: APC Rejects INEC Decision To Resume Collation Of Results For Bauchi, Rivers – READ FULL DETAILS
But APC members in the State had vowed to resist the move.
“What about our members (APC) who were killed by Amosun’s thugs in Ifo, Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode and other places during the election. He waged war against us and now that we have won, he also wants to collect the spoils of the war, it’s impossible, he can’t eat his cake and have it” a member of the party told our correspondent on condition of anonymity.
“Since both the governor and the Vice President, are indigenes of the state are from Ogun East, the Deputy Governor is from Ogun West, then the Ministerial slot should be ceded to Ogun Central “ he added.
In the meantime, Nigerian NeswDirect learnt that the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh would make way for Gemade in FEC. The Health Minister, Prof Isaac Adewole and the communication Minister, Adebayo Shittu and the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri have been penciled down for replacement.
READ ALSO: Honestly, if men were God, I wouldn’t have been (Governor) here – Ogun Gov Elect – Dapo Abiodun
Efforts to get the reaction of the Presidency through the duo of Presidential Spokesmen, Garba Shehu and Femi Adeshina proved abortive as they were yet to respond to texts sent to them as at the time of filing this report.
www.sojworld.com (c) March 18, 2019
Leave a Reply