• Considers picking competent hands from across parties

• Nominees’ names to be sent to Senate latest mid-July

• Lobbyists intensify efforts

 

From Fred Itua, Abuja

Less than one month to the expiration of the constitutionally-mandated 60 days within which the Federal Executive Council (FEC) must be constituted, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may have settled for technocrats, politicians and top career public servants as ministers.

Tinubu was announced as winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election. He was sworn-in as President on May 29, three months after the election.

Despite public expectations that the President would announce members of his cabinet within days of his assumption of office, Nigerians are still waiting for the ministerial nominees.

Tinubu has, however, taken some hard decisions in his first few weeks in office, including removal of fuel subsidy, suspension of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa, among others.

According to a new amendment to the 1999 Constitution, the president and governors must submit the names of persons nominated as ministers or commissioners within 60 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or state House of Assembly.

This means that President Tinubu and all the governors must submit lists of nominees for ministers and commissioner before the end of this month. With just about four weeks left before the expiration of the new constitutional mandate, President Tinubu is expected to forward names of ministerial-nominees to the Senate for confirmation.

The Senate, currently on a three-week break, is expected to reconvene next Tuesday, ahead of the possible screening of ministerial-nominees

However, Saturday Sun has learnt from close allies of Tinubu that he might have concluded plans to form a government of national unity, with emphasis on competence, where he would bring technocrats and politicians across the various political parties into his government and career public servants as members of his cabinet.

In Lagos State for instance, a close ally of the president, who spoke to Saturday Sun in confidence, said one of the names currently being considered is that of one of his former political godsons and immediate past governor of the state, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, who he reconciled with recently as a possible minister from the state. It is believed that Tinubu is impressed that Ambode refused to dump APC even when temptation was high.

Another name being mentioned, according to the ally, who is a former governor, is the immediate-past Minister of Works, Babtunde Fashola, who was initially considered to be Chief of Staff to the president.

Both Ambode and Fashola are former governors of Lagos State and are also considered as technocrats. In Ogun State, there are strong indications that Gbenga Daniel, a former governor and serving senator, may be offered ministerial position and therefore resign from the Senate. Daniel has the private sector experience before becoming a politician.

In Ekiti State, the name being mentioned for ministerial position is that of Senator Dayo Adeyeye, chairman of the South West Agenda for Tinubu 2023. He is seen as a close ally of the president and one who has Tinubu’s ears. Also, immediate-past governor of the state, Dr. Fayemi Kayode, is being considered.

In the South East, a former senator from Anambra State, Andy Ubah, is among those being considered. Also, former senator Uche Ekwunife from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been mentioned. Immediate-past governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, who is currently in the Senate, has been mentioned also. The name of the former governor’s brother, Austin Umahi, also came up. Competent sources said that in Edo State, names of former Senator Francis Alimikhena, who was defeated by Tinubu’s ally, Adams Oshiomhole, as well as Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who worked for Tinubu in the last presidential election, have been mentioned as possible nominees.

In Rivers State, immediate-past governor, Nyesom Wike, may make the list as an opposition member, as part of plans to form a government of national unity. The slot may also go to the former APC governorship candidate in the state, Tony Cole.

In the North, Nasir El-Rufai, Abdullahi Ganduje, Sani Bello and Simon Lalong, all former governors, are being considered by Tinubu.

It was also gathered that barring any last minute changes, Rabiu Kwakwanso, presidential candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), may join the cabinet as a minister, also representing the opposition. With the Labour Party (LP) strongly challenging Tinubu’s victory, it is unclear if members of the party will agree to join the administration of Tinubu to form a government of national unity. However, those being eyed are Prof Pat Utomi and former Anambra State PDP governorship candidate, Valentine Ozigbo.

Another ally of the president, who spoke with Saturday Sun, said the delay in announcing the names is as a result of the realities the President saw on ground when he took office in May. He however, said that the President would definitely submit the names of the ministerial-nominees to the Senate before the middle of this month.

The Tinubu ally said in many states where there were conflicting interests, the President would find a way to balance the political equation in order not to face a rebellion from his allies.

The politician, who hails from the South West, said Ogun, Kano, Delta, Kaduna and Lagos, are among the key states where the President is facing serious headaches over conflicting interests. These, he said, are part of the reasons the president’s ministerial list has not been released.

Another ally of the President, a former governor who played a prominent role during the presidential elections, informed Saturday Sun that lobbyists angling for ministerial positions, have been harassing close friends and allies of the President. He said some of the desperate lobbyists have offered money in order to secure appointments as ministers, or heads of departments and agencies, including Federal Boards.

He said since the entrance into the Presidential Villa is restricted by security agents, private residences of some close allies to Tinubu usually record high volume of visitors daily. He further told the newspaper that some of the lobbyists have also reached out to traditional and religious leaders from the South West, who are believed to command the respect of President Tinubu.

The former governor said Tinubu is expected to announce the names soon in order to reduce the pressure and fence off lobbyists who he said are unwilling to retreat.

Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, had informed Nigerians before the president’s inauguration that, in line with the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, which mandates presidents and governors to submit the names of their ministerial and commissioner-nominees within 60 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or state House of Assembly, Tinubu would comply within one month.

He had said: “It didn’t take Asiwaju more than three weeks to form his cabinet as governor. That was at that time. I think 60 days is even too much.

“A month, maximum, is enough for any serious government to form its cabinet and put a structure of government in place after the swearing-in.”

The then Director of Media and Publicity for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, had also given assurance that Tinubu’s cabinet would be ready within a month of the president’s inauguration.

He had said: “What I can assure you is that even if the list is not ready on the first day, it will not take Asiwaju more than one month to put his cabinet together. He definitely will not wait for 60 days to assemble a competent cabinet.”