As leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are compiling Ministerial list to kick start the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, come May 29, there are indications that the president-elect and the leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may clash over the nomination of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola as a Minister.
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, they (Buhari’s close associates) are said to be aware that 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 Fashola is not likely going to make Tinubu’s list.
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, Buhari is not under any obligations to accept whatever list that is submitted by the “Jagaban Borgu” as Tinubu is fondly called.
The source said, “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 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 pick a nominee 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, rumour mills are flying around 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.
The governors are plotting to frustrate any attempt by Tinubu to impose ministerial nominees on them.
In a similar vein, the bickerings over the zoning arrangement in the APC has pitched party chieftains against each other as Tinubu has reportedly hijacked most of the positions.
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