By Suleiman Umaru
Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the government of the Federation , who may have been retained by President Muhammadu Buhari even when the ministers and other members of the kitchen Cabinet relinquished their positions last April, has given an insight about the ministerial list which had been compiled but says it would
Presidency sources corroborated Mustapha’s claim that the presentation of the ministerial list to the Assembly may have been delayed because the lawmakers are on recess and would resume on July 2, 2019. the situation may not have been helped as the Assembly members have not elected their other principal officers particular, the All Progressive Congress, APC, which commands majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Note that the party will elect the Majority leaders in the two Chambers. There are indications that the President already has in mind who is to be the party Majority leader in the two Chambers but want the party elected Lawmakers to participate in choosing them for formality. Recall that the Presidency was instrumental in influencing the election of the four Principal officers of the National Asembly: the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker House of Representatives to facilitate easy passage of his Executive bills.
Going by the SSG’s . recent remarks the President could not have transmitted the ministerial list to Ahmed Lawan, the Senate President , without going through the party Majority leader who is yet to emerge. It was
The Katsina born Nigerian president do not foresee any difficulty in passing the Executive bill by the Senate because his loyalist are in-charge in the National Assembly. Political watchers are optimistic that the debate and confirmation of the ministerial list will be concluded in two weeks as the Opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, do not have political weight to pose a threat to the passage of the bill.
But he may have greatest challenge in the party National Executive Committee, NEC. The Adams Oshiomhole led NEC, according to sources , have resolved that all the APC governors who lost their re-election bids in their respective states would ”automatically become the ministerial nominees of their states, a decision which is binding on the President as a loyal party member.
This may have qualified the likes of Ambode Akinwumi, a former governor of Lagos State, Mohammed
Akinwumi, the former Lagos state governor , who jetted out of the country after handing over to Sanwo-Olu, his successor, was said to have returned to the country from France where he as holiday may not be unconnected to the ministerial appointment.
He may have to contend Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state and APC, National leader who sees him as a disloyal party member and therefore do not deserve to given any appointment
Political Observers are of the opinion that the President may brush aside the alleged Complaints of financial misappropriation against him in the state as he was impressed with his performance in office going by the projects on ground which speaks for itself.
Some of the multi-million naira projects were said to have been commissioned by the President on the invitation of the former governor last April. They are the reconstruction of the Oshodi International Airport Road, Oshodi Interchange , 820 mass transit buses, an
Many believe that Akinwumi, may have used the projects to make a bold Statement that he is ready to serve in any capacity the President may deem it necessary to appoint him to. He may have known that he had lost face with Tinubu, his godfather and therefore could no longer depend to fix him up that he decide to deal directly with the President to showcase his achievements in office as a testimonial that he can deliver if given any opportunity again. he may have won the heart of the president after the visit to the state to Commission those multi-million naira projects.
The President had made it clear to those that care to listen that only former ministers who distinguished themselves in their fir first term in office would be recalled. Appearing on Channels Television shortly after handing over to the SSG, as directed by the President had said that his recall is at the discretion of the President. He had described himself as huge success in the ministry of Transportation in his first term as minister.
He may have created in the mind of the President that he has some unfinished projects which needed to be completed on schedule . He fears that if another person is appointed to replace him the projects might be delayed . One of such multi-million projects is the construction of the rail line from the ancient city of Ibadan, south west Nigeria to the ancient city of Kano, north west geo-political region.
Another project initiated by the government which was been handled by the former minister was the negotiation for a loan facility for the supply of rail Coaches and Construction of rail lines by the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CECC. We have applied for loan facility from China, he had said.
Analysts believe that the President may prefer to work with Amaechi, as ministerial nominee from the Oil Rivers state than see for another nomination from the state .
While Akiwumi, Bindow and Abubakar, are optimistic of getting appointment as ministers, Amaechi , the former governor of Rivers state and ex-while minister of Transportation, believe that his political detractors are working against him not to be recalled. he has raised of a heavily funded campaign of calumny to smear his image before the President.
He noted that party of the smearing image campaign which he had uncovered aims at dragging and some members of his family into the internal affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NNDC. The former minister may have told those that cares to listen that he has never been involved in anyway, in the ”management and operations of NNDC, an agency under the ministry of Niger Delta.
He was said to have reached out to Mustapha, the SFG, who incidentally worked under him as the former Managing Director of Inland Waterways Authority, an agency under the ministry of Transportation and Aisha Buhari, the First Lady , to use their position to make a case for him before President who has a soft spot for him as a loyal party member.
Note that he was a two-time Director General of the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation in 2015 and 2019, which saw Buhari , emerging as President and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is not surprising why the former minister still have at the back of his mind that the President is indebted to him as one of those who contributed to to his re-election.
An APC Stalwart who spoke to The Value News described Amaechi as ”power hungry who is exploiting his relationship with the President to remain at the corridors powers ”. While Amaechi may be struggling to book a place in the new ministerial list, Hadi Seriki, a minister of State, ministry of Transportation, overseeing Aviation and Abubakar Malami,a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN , and minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, could beat their chest that they would be recalled by the President to serve for another term as ministers.
Regarded in political circles as a minister who does not keep to his
The government may have spent thousands of dollar to embark on promotions for the new air Nigeria. One of the promotional videos released gushed ”now is the time to bring Nigeria closer to the world”. But that was how far the minister could go.
Barely two months after Buhari gave the nod for launching of Air Nigeria, Seriki broke the news that the the project may no longer be a reality. He had said that it was a tough decision to be taken at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, to suspend the project but gave no reason for the action. the initial plan was for the government to own 5 percent of the shares of the Airline in a public -Private sector partnership.
The former minister may have played into the hand of travellers who described him as a” liar”. He may have have work hard to win back the confidence of Nigerians if he is recalled for another term as minister otherwise he should seeing himself working without the support of the people. This is because every policy pronouncement from him will be viewed with suspicion.
Notwithstanding the impression of Nigerians towards the former minister of state, Aviation, Buhari, thinks differently about him as he was said penciled him down for recall.
