Ministerial List: Fresh Nomination Crisis In South-West APC - Nigerian Tribune

8 years ago

Ministerial List: Fresh Nomination Crisis In South-West APC - Nigerian Tribune

FRONT-row gladiators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West are locked in a battle of wits, following the release of ministerial nominees in four states, with fierce battle raging over the control of the outstanding two, Sunday Tribune has learnt from parties in the crisis.

The final pick from three states of Lagos, Ekiti and Oyo, were said to have been a shocker for certain godfathers and leaders who were reportedly self-assured that their own nominees,
different from those announced by the media, would emerge having submitted their names to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Though the official list is yet to be made public by Senate President Bukola Saraki, indications emerged on Thursday that the current list circulating in the media, is same as the official one sent to the senate by Buhari.

Sunday Tribune contacted a couple of the nominees mentioned in the media Thursday night and they confirmed first-ever contact from the presidency, demanding their Curriculum Vitae.

This information contradicts the reports in the media that nominees were invited to the headquarters of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) in Abuja for security screening.

A nominee from North-East confirmed to Sunday Tribune that the appearance of the nominee’s name (sex withheld) in the media was a shocker to the nominee and while still wondering, an SMS came from the presidential villa demanding the nominee’s CV.

Another nominee from North-Central confirmed receiving similar SMS. The nominee’s name is also in the media and the nominee never attended any security screening. It was also the nominee’s first contact with the presidency over the ministerial selection.

The short SMS read “Pls I need your CV. Sabi’u Tunde, PA to C-in-C”.

A couple of the nominees got the SMS at exactly 3.45pm on Thursday.

All the names mentioned as nominees for Oyo, Ogun, Lagos and Ekiti had also reportedly got the call for their CV, confirming their consideration for the job.

The emergence of the quartet, particularly that of former Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola, former Ekiti State Govermor Kayode Fayemi and Mr Bayo Shittu for Oyo State, is creating serious ripples in the party in the zone, with winners and losers in the first half of the power struggle, reportedly intensifying efforts to ensure that Osun and Ondo would not elude them.

The camp of the National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu with the active backing of former National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, is said to be pushing hard to ensure their nominees for Osun and Ondo sail through after having all their nominees rejected in Oyo, Lagos and Ekiti.

All parties in the ministerial struggle reportedly conceded Ogun slot to former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was said to have brought forward Chief Bode Mustapha.

Buhari reportedly rejected Mustapha on the grounds of age with Obasanjo being asked to replace him.

The concession to Obasanjo was said to have informed the decision of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to nominate Mrs. Kemi Adeosun as a commissioner.

The decision of Obasanjo not to replace Mustapha, was said to have created an opening for the governor who upgraded Adeosun as a ministerial nominee.

Tinubu and Akande reportedly lost in all other three states, with Wale Edun (originally from Ogun) nominated by them, losing to Fashola in Lagos, Dele Alake nominated by them losing to Fayemi in Ekiti and the duo and Governor Abiola Ajimobi losing to Shittu in Oyo.

Shittu is a known antagonist of Governor Ajimobi. The governor first nominated his immediate past Commissioner for Finance, then withdrew the nomination for a senior staff of Arthur Anderson.

There is also controversy regarding who Tinubu and Akande actually nominated in Ekiti, because, as of last Monday, there were believable reasons that Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN was Tinubu’s choice for Ekiti, with the national leader of the party reportedly checking Falana’s reliability with certain sources (names withheld).

Sunday Tribune, however, learnt from very authoritative source that when Tinubu and Akande met with Buhari, Alake was the name on Ekiti slot in the list they submitted.

Last Monday, a political source called Edun to congratulate him on his reported nomination, a felicitation he accepted as a confirmation of the said nomination.

The announcement of nominees for Oyo and Ondo was reportedly stalled following the contention among the influential chieftains.

Sunday Tribune has reliably gathered that Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Tinubu are not on the same page over Osun nominee. While Aregbesola is pushing the nomination of his immediate predecessor-in-office, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on the basis of the accord leading to his defection to APC, Tinubu is reportedly backing Chief of Staff to the governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.

Rumoured to be Tinubu’s blood, Oyetola is also said to be eyeing Osun governorship in 2018.
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In Ondo, the party in the state is behind the nomination of its governorship candidate in 2012 poll, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, while Tinubu is said to be backing Chief Pius Akinyelure.

Having lost out in the first four states, it was learnt that Buhari may eventually concede the remaining two states to Tinubu who is currently in London.

A close nomination source told Sunday Tribune that the anti-Tinubu forces in the South-West are determined to ensure that the remaining two states also fall to them.

Source: Nigerian Tribune