13 ex-ministers lucky as Jonathan drops 24

Dr. Jonathan

THE President may have dropped 24 of his 42 former ministers, it was learnt.
Besides, 16 technocrats may join the cabinet.
But the battle for nomination continued at the weekend, with Soutsouth leader Chief Edwin Clark and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi struggling for the Southsouth ticket.
The immediate past Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia, may not make the cabinet list, following plans by the President to appoint him as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), it was learnt.

If Ajumogobia scales over the security hurdle, he may succeed the nation’s outgoing Permanent Representative, Prof. Joy Ogwu, whose tenure will expire in the next few months.
According to sources, the President has foreclosed the return of 24 former ministers.
But 12 former ministers have been screened. The likelihood of their making the cabinet is put at about 90 per cent by a Presidency source.
Six others are still awaiting the President’s decision. They are said to be “under consideration”.
The “lucky” 13 ex-ministers are: Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke (Petroleum Resources); Senator Bala Mohammed (FCT); Prof Ruqayyat Rufai (Education); Yusuf Suleiman (Transport); Dr. Shamsudeen Usman (National Planning); Mohammed Musa Sada (Mines and Steel); Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN); Elder Godsday Orubebe (Niger Delta Affairs); Olusegun Aganga (Finance); Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (Health); Emeka Nwogu (Labour); Labaran Maku (Information) and Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (Ekiti).
The six others  awaiting the President’s decision are: Adetokunbo Kayode(SAN); Mrs Fidelia Njeze; Mrs. Josephine Anenih; Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi; Mr. Kenneth Gbagi; Mr. Nelson Nwike.
Some of the technocrats on the final list are the Managing Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Mrs. Omobola Olubusola Johnson; Tonye Cole, an architect; Mike Omolememen also an architect; Prof. Ita Okon Bassey-Ewa; Dr. Jonah Madugu; Dr. Mohammed Pate; Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi; . Alhaji Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar; Prof. Barth Nnaji and Dr. Yerima Lawan Ngama.
A Presidency source, who pleaded not to be named because of what he called the sensitive nature of the matter, said: “From the list to be submitted to the National Assembly this week, you will discover that at least more than 30 of the nominees are technocrats.
I think that is a fair deal.
“That has shown you the extent of the commitment of the President to executing his transformation agenda.
“So, we have ministers who will do less of politicking. The nation should look forward to a rapid development within the first 100 days of the inauguration of these ministers.”
Responding to a question, the source said: “The President of the Senate will receive the list this week. It could also be Monday (today). As the President is going to Equatorial Guinea for AU Summit, the list will head for the Senate.
“It is now left for the Senate to work out modalities on how to screen the nominees.”
On the fate of some ex-ministers, who have been screened but not yet on the list, the source said: “The Presidency is thinking increasing the list of ministers to 44 or 46 or stick to 42 as it is.
“What we have at present is 42, but the 1999 Constitution says the President must choose at least a minister in each of the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.
“The Constitution has never been specific on the limit of the number of ministers the President could appoint.”
The source confirmed that there are intrigue over the choice of the Southsouth representative in the cabinet.
The source said: “While the godfather of the President, Chief Clark is insisting on a slot for his godson, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, wants the state to fill the Southsouth slot, having delivered the highest number of votes to Jonathan during the April general elections.
“Amaechi has recommended his Chief of Staff, Nelson Nwike, for the slot.”
On the fate of Ajumogobia, whose performance was rated high in the last cabinet, the source said: “He is likely to be the next Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN. The present envoy, Prof. Joy Ogwu, will soon complete her tenure.
“Others have recommended the post of a Special Adviser on Foreign Affairs for Ajumogobia, but the UN job appears to be the ultimate for him.
“I think he will soon undergo security and diplomatic formalities.”

Culled from : The Nation Newspaper