Presidency offers ambassadorial, adviser slots to opposition parties

Posted by admin Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Party Politics, Presidency Monday, July 4th, 2011

IN a bid to sustain the accord between his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the friendly parties which worked closely with the PDP during the April general election, President Goodluck Jonathan is said to be offering some ambassadorial, as well as special adviser slots to the leadership of the parties.

It was learnt at the weekend that messages were sent to the parties, the Labour Party (LP), Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN) and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). The three parties are being considered for what sources said was an all-inclusive government rather than the much-talked about Government of National Unity (GNU).

Sources in government confirmed that the parties would be fully briefed about the slots being demanded of them during the week.

It was, however, gathered that the presidency had informed the leader of LP, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, on why a nominee of the party might not get the ministerial slot.

It was gathered that the presidency had assured the party, at a meeting last week, that its support for the president during the last election would not be in vain.

A source said the presidency had informed the party that if it could not get the ministerial slot, in view of high tension lobbying even among PDP members, it would be given an ambassadorial slot and a special adviser position.

The same was said to apply to the CDC and RPN.

“This talk about the GNU is not really an agenda of this government. We feel that it is when there are no clear winners of elections that you talk of GNU. What is being contemplated is an inclusive government, whereby all parties which came together to secure victory for President Jonathan will be made to play a role in running of the government,” a source said at the weekend.

Meanwhile, it was gathered on Sunday that President Jonathan has further sent a list of six names of ministerial nominees to the security agencies for screening.

It was gathered that three of the most notable names on the new list are former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Amma Pepple (Rivers); Chief Edem Duke (Cross Rivers) and Alhaji Nurudeen Mohammed (Jigawa).

Duke was reputed as the originator of the Tinapa Project in Cross River State and a former chairman of Cross River Chamber of Industry.

Sources said the Senate could get the names of the Managing Director of World Bank, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, this week, following the treatment she was accorded by the security agencies.

It was learnt that the agencies only perused her file and concluded that since there were no petitions against her since the end of her service as minister in 2007, there could not be anything that would stand in her way to becoming a minister.

Sources further confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that the current posting of ministers who were sworn in on Saturday was temporary, adding that within the next few months, many of them would swap positions.

-Tribunewp_posts