Governor Obi, others may join Jonathan"s cabinet

The outgoing Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and three others may soon join President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet, The Nation learnt.

Governor Obi

Others being considered are ex-Governors Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano) and Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto). Senator Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara) is also listed.

But Gbemisola’s likely nomination is creating division in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, with many stakeholders opposing her choice.

The stakeholders, who have accused PDP National Chairman Adamu Muazu of being behind Gbemisola’s nomination, have threatened to join forces with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 should her likely nomination stand.

It was also learnt that the new arrowhead of PDP in Kwara State, Hajiya Muinat Bola Shagaya, does not favour Gbemisola for Kwara’s slot.

Notwithstanding, Dr. Jonathan has asked his ministers to either support him and the PDP or get out of the cabinet.

He said there was no way a minister in the cabinet could claim to be apolitical in a government formed by a political party.

The list of the four nominees is to be sent to the Senate after due consultations with some stakeholders.

A Presidency source said: “So far, Obi, Shekarau, Bafarawa and Gbemisola have been pencilled down for ministerial slots, barring last-minute change of mind by the President.

“The appointment of the four is part of the new focus of the cabinet to have a mixture of technocrats and politicians. You know this is a transition cabinet, which should be useful during the campaign period.

“Also, the reality of the defection into PDP by some bigwigs is that there must be some reallignment and political concessions. Politics is about being part of a government.

“For Obi, apart from his track records in office, he is rated as central to the President’s success in 2015 through the mobilisation of the Igbo. You cannot have Obi in the cabinet without an impact because he is an epitome of good governance.

“We are expecting that the names will soon be sent to the Senate for consideration.”

As at press time, however, the choice of Gbemisola Saraki has caused ripples within Kwara PDP.

It was learnt that the rallying point of PDP in Kwara State, Hajiya Muinat Bola Shagaya, is opposed to Gbemisola for “not being a team player” since she joined the party.

Although it was gathered that the PDP leadership had reconciled Shagaya and Gbemisola before the latter’s defection, but the two leaders have not worked harmoniously.

A top leader of PDP in Kwara State said: “Initially, we were asked to submit a list of 10 names but it was later pruned to three. Now, we learnt the National Chairman of PDP is in favour of Gbemisola Saraki to reduce the choice to one.

“Our leaders are throwing up candidates like Prof. Shuaibu Oba Abdulraheem; Dele Belgore (SAN); Kunle Sulyman; ex-Minister Ibrahim Bio; John Dara and Senator Makanjuola Ajadi. Some even suggested picking from younger elements to join the cabinet. They are making a case for younger ones like Hon. Ibrahim Oloriegbe and Lanre Issa Onilu.

“Gbemisola cannot be acceptable to all PDP leaders in the state. She cannot just come and hijack the party. She is also not a team player.

“For instance, we were expected to mobilise members of PDP in Kwara to the rally in Minna last Saturday. But instead of working with others, Gbemisola went behind to ferry her supporters to Minna to prove a point that she is in charge of Kwara PDP. All her supporters were visible at the rally as if other stakeholders were insignificant.

“The President should consult very well before making Gbemisola a minister or else PDP should forget Kwara in 2015. The truth is that she contested under ACPN in 2011, did she go far? She needs to pay her dues in PDP before hopping to a ministerial seat.”

Jonathan has asked his ministers to either support him and the PDP or leave the cabinet.

Another source in the Presidency said: “In a government formed by a political party, there is no basis for being apolitical at all. Once you are a minister, you are expected to implement the programmes of PDP

“The President has told the ministers to either back him and PDP or leave the cabinet. He reaffirmed his position with the sack of Bolaji Abdullahi as the minister of Sports last Wednesday.

“Let me tell you, the real reason Abdullahi was removed had to do with his refusal to read a speech supporting PDP at the party’s rally in Ilorin last Monday. He stood his ground that he is not a politician. The President also showed him that he should go for other business if he cannot identify with a party upon which he is serving the nation.

“This same rule now applies to all ministers; they have to identify with PDP directly or indirectly. The alternative is to quit.”

It was gathered last night that the President has directed all ministers to perform or be booted out.

A government official, who spoke with our correspondent, said the President vowed to stick to the Performance Benchmark for assessing ministers.

The source said: “The President said once a minister has no concrete achievements to impact on the lives of Nigerians, he or she should be prepared to go.

“As a first step, the President has told the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, to sit up; he said he is not happy with the present state of the Federal Capital Territory.

“The Minister is not sustaining the master plan of the city and the security situation is at its lowest ebb. Most of the key projects being completed by the minister were inherited; no new outstanding projects have been added.

“This FCT administration has preoccupied itself with land allocations than infrastructural development.

“The President’s concerns informed why the FCT Minister was running helter-skelter on Monday and threatening all his directors. He has transferred the same aggression to the directors by vowing to sack them.” (0)

Governor Obi, others may join Jonathan"s cabinet