APC leaders are said to be discreetly penciling down some names for ministerial appointment ahead of the May 29 hand-over date.
Nigerian Pilot Saturday gathered from a member of the APC in Abuja that, close associates of Buhari from the North, are rooting for the outgoing Lagos State governor because of his sterling performance in the last eight years.
However, our source said they (Buhari’s close associates) are aware that Bola Tinubu is plotting to give final say on who makes the ministerial list for the entire South West, South East and South South zones and Governor Fashola is not likely going to make Tinubu’s list.According to him, although Tinubu will be allowed to make reasonable input in the list of ministerial nominees from the three zones in the South, because of his contributions to the success of APC in the South West, Buhari is not under any obligations to accept whatever list that is submitted by Tinubu.
He said that, “since Buhari will be answerable to Nigerians on the performance of his ministers, the final decision of who will be in the incoming Federal Executive Council, is his to make.
“If the General insists on having Governor Fashola in his cabinet, Tinubu just has to learn to live with it as there is nothing he can do about it.” he said.
He further disclosed that Buhari has confidence in the capacity of Governor Fashola to deliver on his mandate and the fact that he is not one of the governors that have corruption allegation hanging on his neck, makes him a natural choice in Buhari’s cabinet.
On why Tinubu will be allowed to have a say on the list of ministers beyond the South West zone, he said APC did not produce any governor in majority of the South East and some South South states and as the national leader of the party, the party leaders in all those states will need to consult him on the ministerial nominees.
However, he explained that Governors Adam Oshiomhole of Edo State is expected to nominate the minister from his state, while his Imo State counterpart, Owelle Rochas Okorocha will pick the Imo ministerial nominee if he emerges victorious in the supplementary election in his state.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Pilot Saturday also gathered that some APC governors in the South West that were recently reelected, are getting set for war with Tinubu over ministerial, ambassadorial and board appointment nominees.
Our findings revealed that the in-coming second term APC South West governors are plotting to frustrate any attempt by Tinubu to impose ministerial nominees on them.
Some of the governors are said to be gearing up to assert their authority as the chief executives of their state and will oppose any nominee that did not emanate from their office.
Nigerian Pilot Report