Ministerial appointment: Security reports indict 3 ex-govs •Jonathan to shock Nigerians

As lobbying for ministerial appointments gathers storm, security reports may have done damages to the ambitions of some former governors to secure ministerial posts in President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet. Exclusive details obtained by Sunday Tribune revealed that some of the governors jostling for appointments have indictments bordering on their role in the election of Mr President.

It was learnt that a former head of state had, in late April, submitted a list of ministerial nominees from his zone in which the former governors were included.

The list, according to Sunday Tribune’s sources was forwarded to the National Security Adviser for vetting by the president.

Sunday Tribune was told that the National Security Adviser‘s office prior to the president’s referral had already compiled dossiers on many nominees whose names were being bandied in the media.

It was learnt that three of the nominees had indictments hanging on their heads based on field reports filed by security agencies in the zone.

One of the nominees was alleged to have diverted funds meant for the presidential election to pursue his private agenda despite protests by party elders at a meeting held at the nominee’s house.

Another of the nominees, also an ex-governor, was alleged to have disobeyed a presidential advice to accommodate some factions within the state chapter leading to the failure of the party in the state during the elections.

Other indictments levelled against the nominees included pending cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as a new case an ACN governor  is about to file against the Federal Government.

The ACN governor was said to have accused the ex-governor of paying for contracts that were unexecuted while already inviting the EFCC to look into the cases.

In another state, reports indicated that the ex-governor actively opposed a deal meant to get an opposition governor to support Mr President during the polls.

A competent source within the presidency told Sunday Tribune that the nominees of the former leader would not even get on the list due to these negative and well established findings against him.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the states of the federation began submission of names of people expected to make President Goodluck Jonathan’s list of new ministers, there are indications that the president will surprise Nigerians with the final list.

President Jonathan indicated that he would soon dissolve his cabinet, a development upon which the Acting Chairman of the PDP, Mohammed Bello Haliru, mandated the party leadership and governors of the PDP-led states to forward 10 names each for consideration for ministerial and ambassadorial slots.

But feelers have it that despite Jonathan’s expectation of nominees to be compiled by the states’ party leadership, governors and ministers, where applicable, the president could shock those who think they can predict his choice of ministers, ambassadors and other cabinet positions.

Besides, President Jonathan’s antecedents are in support of the possibility of him proving bookmakers wrong. He had surprised Nigerians several times in his days as acting president and earlier in his days as substantive president.

In 2010, when he made his ministerial appointments, he surprised not a few Nigerians by submitting to the Senate names of some Nigerians least expected. These included those regarded as the new turks in government circles today.

Against the expectations of many, names Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah, Fidelia Njeze, Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, Adetokunbo Kayode, Ruqayyatu Rufai, John Odey, Mohammed Bello Adoke, Musa Mohammed Sada, Godsday Orubebe, Aliyu Idi Hong, Suleiman Bello, Labaran Maku and Nuhu Wya found their ways into the president’s cabinet.

It will also be recalled that prior to this time, President Jonathan had shocked Nigerians in his choice of deputy. While the names of the governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Senator Ahmed Makarfi were on the lips of many Nigerians as prospective vice president under Jonathan, the president went for the least expected former governor of Kaduna State, Namadi Sambo.

In a similar circumstance in October 2010, the expectation of many Nigerians was that former Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Colonel Kayode Are, would be appointed as National Security Adviser (NSA).

But President Jonathan, in a rare show of independence, stunned Nigerians and appointed General Andrew Owoye Azazi.

Colonel Are had been in the same position, but in acting capacity, after the exit of former NSA, General Aliyu Gusau, and many had thought that he would be confirmed as substantive NSA. Jonathan, however, had his plan.

Yet another instance where President Jonathan surprised Nigerians was the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While Nigerians were bandying the names of notables like former Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Dora Akunyili; former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and popular lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, Jonathan kept his plans close to his chest.

He was to later consider a list of three unexpected nominees, which included a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Nuhu Yakub; Barrister Bukhari Bello; and the then Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professor Attahiru Jega, who was later announced as the president’s choice.

Jonathan was quoted to have said at a public forum that his choice of Jega was in tandem with his promise to hand the nation free, fair and credible elections earlier in the year.

“If I don’t have confidence in the people of Kebbi, I wouldn’t have appointed your own son, Professor Jega, to supervise elections in which I will participate and which we all want to be free and fair. I believe that he would do the right thing; he will not rig or manipulate any election to favour anybody,” the president was quoted to have told a gathering of Kebbi State indigenes shortly before the elections.

It is also in the light of the electoral promise that President Jonathan is seen to have surprised many Nigerians, particularly governors who got into office on the ticket of his party, the PDP.

It was learnt that many of the governors and National Assembly members, particularly in the South-West, had expected that the president would “intervene” in their bid to get re-elected, but Jonathan had made it clear that he would not even expect anybody to rig for him, meaning that he would leave the field level for all.

The president was to surprise all by even congratulating members of the opposition parties who won in the elections.

A source said, “it is, thus, unlikely that President Jonathan’s choice would be influenced by the state governors on the ticket of his party in his choice of ministers and ambassadors.”

Sources in the Presidency were only short of confirming this when they hinted that it appeared the president was, again, keeping his card close to his chest.