How Ministerial Portfolios Will Be Shared

As powerful lobby intensifies on how the next Federal Executive would stand, it was gathered at the weekend that former state governors nominated for screening by President Muhammadu Buhari, would be assigned juicy portfolios.

Already, prominent Nigerians who have the listening ears of the President are wielding maximum pressure on the Presidency for their candidates to be considered for influential ministries.

Sunday Independent sources disclosed that all the nine former governors would be made senior ministers “because their inclusion in the ministerial list was a compensation for their fierce loyalty to the president.”

The nine erstwhile governors are Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Chris Ngige (Anambra); Timipre  Sylva (Bayelsa); George Akume (Benue); Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi); Adeniyi Adebayo (Ekiti); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).

Competent sources also confirmed that beyond the loyalty and competence of the past governors, they would also be allocated portfolios to reflect the six geo-political zones of North East, North West, North Central, South East, South West and South South.

“Mr. President is aware that Nigerians are getting impatient with the new cabinet, but I can confidently assure you that immediately the ongoing screening at the Senate is completed this week and the confirmation letter is forwarded to him, he would want them to hit the ground running immediately”, said our source.

Asked the likely date of the inauguration of the new cabinet, the source said “You know in politics, all things are not equal, but I don’t expect the inauguration date to be extended beyond August 7, 2019”.

Some of the sensitive ministries likely to be headed by the former governors are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Finance; Petroleum Resources; Health; Power; Works and Housing; Transportation; Interior; Education, Aviation, Budget and National Planning and Communications.

However, the President may split the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing into two or three “for maximum performance and efficiency”.

The President may also retain the supervision of the Petroleum Ministry under his portfolio.

The Senate on Friday screened seven ministerial nominees, bringing the number of cabinet nominees so far screened by the red chamber to 31 since Wednesday.

Those screened on Friday were Abubakar Malami (Kebbi),   Hadi Sirika (Katsina), Festus Keyamo  (Delta),  Pauline Tallen (Plateau),  Osagie Ehanire (Edo),  Muhammadu Dingyadi (Sokoto) and Ali Pantami (Gombe).

Those yet to be screened are Gbemisola Saraki  (Kwara),  Goddy Jeddy-Agba (Cross River),  Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa),  Maryam Katagum (Bauchi),  Lai Mohammed (Kwara) and Clement  Agba (Edo).

Others are Geofrey Onyeama (Enugu),   Muhammad Mahmoud (Kaduna),  Sabo Nanono (Kano), Raji Fashola (Lagos),  Rauf Aregbosola (Osun) and Saleh Mamman (Taraba).

The screening will continue on Monday (tomorrow).