•Jonathan defers cabinet dissolution
•Crisis hits Edo PDP
A DAMNING security report on majority of the ministerial nominees from the 36 states, compiled by the State Security Service (SSS), is already causing tension among those who have been strategising to be listed in President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet next week.
Jonathan will be sworn-in on Sunday by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu.
He is expected to dissolve the cabinet and send the list of new ministers to the Senate on Monday.
The report, which was compiled “by some of the brightest minds in the Service”, is already on the President’s table “and some of those who believe that they will make the list will be shocked at the end of the day because the President has decided that some failed politicians or those who soiled their hands in their previous public exposure will not be allowed to come on board with him,” said a presidency source.
It was gathered that some of the ministerial nominees, majority of whom are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were tipped off by some officials and close aides of the President, “and since then, they have been running from pillar to post, not knowing what to do”.
The source revealed that Jonathan may likely get more technocrats into his cabinet than politicians.
A former university administrator, a senior official of a conglomerate and a social commentator, “whose views are respected nationally and internationally”, may come on board as ministers.
Even yesterday, Jonathan presided over the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting for this dispensation and surprisingly, he did not dissolve the cabinet but rather asked ministers to carry on with their jobs.
While briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Information and Communications, Labaran Maku, confirmed that the council actually held its last session “but the President, in his wisdom, asked us to get on with our jobs, even if till the last minute.
“Today, the council was a very exciting one and, therefore, we believe that the way we took off and concluded showed the unity of purpose in government. The last council meeting has been held but the executive council remains, it has not been dissolved,” Maku said.
This development was contrary to the information earlier gathered that the cabinet would be dissolved yesterday.
Even, the Minister of Education, Prof Ruqqayat Ru’fai, confirmed that they had thought they would be asked to go after the meeting, ahead of Sunday’s inauguration.
However, the council did not treat any memo, but the discussions, according to Maku, focused on the appraisal of government activities in the last one year, especially the leadership style of the President. “Most ministers offered their views and expressed themselves about their experiences in government and in working with Mr. President and in serving the people of Nigeria since their appointment.
“Overall, the discussion centered on the appreciation of all members of council for the rare privilege each and every one of us has had to serve this nation in this capacity. It is not a right to be minister, it is a rare privilege.
“All members of the council today took time to thank God and thanked Mr President for having the confidence in them. And council members also individually and collectively expressed their deep satisfaction for the period they have served, especially the leadership of Mr President.
“One after another, council members took turn to indeed point out the sterling qualities of President Jonathan, particularly his legendary humility and patience and yet his deep judgement and wisdom when the nation was in crisis.
“Everybody admitted that this President has been acknowledged for less than his worth and service to the nation but all of us together believed in him and we believe also that this nation has not made a mistake by giving him the near unanimous national mandate he has gotten to rule the country for the next four years,”, Maku stated.
He informed that the council also advised the President on key national issues, urging him to continue with his humility, yet with firmness and resolution to lead the country in the direction of change in the next four years.
Maku was flanked at the briefing by the Ministers of Education, Prof Ruqqayat Ru’fai, Aviation, Mrs Fidelia Njeze and the Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs and Finance, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong and Mrs Yabawa Wabi respectively.
Meanwhile, a faction of the PDP in Edo State loyal to the two-time governor and national leader of the party, Chief Samuel Ogbemudia, yesterday carpeted the national leadership of the party for allowing itself to be deceived by those parading themselves as state executives and leadership out to bring the fold to its final extinction.
Specifically, the members frowned at the unilateral decision of the former chairman, Board of Trustees of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, to doctor the ministerial list.
Publicity Secretary of the party Mr. Francis Iyasere, said “with that singular action of consistently imposing strangers on the people without due consultation for necessary input, Chief Anenih has nailed the coffin of the party”.
He said: “The man is bossy, he will not concede. If you want peace, you concede, let’s say fifty, fifty. But no. He will always say ‘I am choosing that man he is going to be chairman. I am choosing public secretary, he is going to be publicity secretary’. So, if you are not shifting ground and you want us to shift ground when we have all the documents that we conducted a free and fair congress, that is the problem.
“So, those who believe that the party is their own that they can do and undo, forgetting that we all formed this party, they will continue to undermine the party because of their ambition”.
To him, Jonathan should take a second look at the list sent from Edo.
Iyasere said: “What you have on that list are people that are a disaster to the Nigerian public. This is not the first time; it’s just that somebody somewhere wants to tell us that he is in power or in control and at the center of gravity so that he can get some largesse from those who are desperate and it is not going to help the party.
“One funny thing about all these things is that the national leadership is aware that they are creating problem for the states but for selfish reasons, they don’t care if the party collapses in those states but that is not going to help the President”.
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