Na’Abba, Iyabo Obasanjo may make ministerial list

Posted by admin General Politics, Latest Politics, Ministries, National Politics, Women Politics Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

THE name of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Ghali Umar Na’Abba, tops the list of ministerial nominees, whose screening is being finalised at the headquarters of the State Security Service (SSS).

Sources confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that while Na’Abba’s name did not emanate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, President Goodluck Jonathan listened to some respected Northern leaders, including Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, who vouched for his character and ability to perform as a minister.

It was learnt that besides the name of Na’Abba, the name of the daughter of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, had also been forwarded to security agencies for screening.

Although it was learnt that her name was being considered alongside those of possible ministers, a source, however, said that she was being considered for ambassadorial position.

Sources confirmed on Monday that the ministerial list would arrive in the Senate in batches, as the security agencies are determined to do a thorough screening on the list of nominees.

Besides, a source also said that while the presidency had forwarded all the 270 names sent by the PDP leaders from the 36 states and Abuja to the security operatives, they were later asked to reduce the list to three per state, for the sake of ministerial nomination.

It was further learnt that the names of returning ministers would first arrive in the Senate, as sources said that the security agencies had almost completed work on them.

Sources also confirmed that one of the wives of the acting national chairman of the PDP, Dr Haliru Bello Mohammed, was included on the ministerial list, as a way of assuring the women that the party was serious about the promise of 35 per cent affirmative action for women.

Others whose names had appeared on the list include former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who is said to be lobbying to be appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu and the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke.

Sources, however, confirmed that panic gripped the camp of Allison-Madueke on Monday night, following feelers from government circles that her nomination could be withdrawn.

It was learnt that the former minister had stepped on some powerful toes, who are now canvassing against her before the president.

A source said Allison-Madueke had offended a lot of persons, as she appeared power-drunk after she was named the Minister of Petroleum.

Her name was missing in the original list submitted to the presidency by the Bayelsa State PDP.

Sources said her pleas had been considered at a stage by President Jona-than, who asked the security agencies to screen her.

But it was gathered that a lot of interests were not happy with her and that the president had been inundated many times with tales of her sins, considered as discomfiting to many, some of whom were personal friends of the president.

It was also gathered that on a number of occasions, the president had had to intervene in quarrels involving Allison-Madueke and some figures in the country, as the former minister was also said to have fallen out of favour of the Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva.

A source said those who felt offended by her behaviour to the governor had also told the president that she should not be returned as minister.

It said the minister had flatly rejected a bid by Bayelsa to participate in a section of the oil industry, though the state was ready to enter the fray on a competitive note.

The source further said the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, was also finding things difficult in his bid to return, as some of his colleagues in the last Senate had also complained about lack of access to him after he emerged as minister.

It was, however, learnt that President Jonathan was being persuaded by some political forces to reconsider the former minister, who, they said, contributed his quota to the success of the presidential campaign.wp_posts