Reports from the Presidential Villa has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari is set to bring back 12 to 15 of his previous ministers to his “Next Level” cabinet.
It was reported that the ex-ministers’ names are on the rundown which was apparently submitted to Senate President Ahmed Lawan on Wednesday.
Recall that Ahmed Lawan had expressed that the National Assembly will get Buhari’s ministerial candidates this week.
Those said to be on the rundown as at yesterday’s evening are ex-Ministers of Justice and AGF Abubakar Malami (SAN); Adamu( Education); Hadi Sirika (Aviation); Zainab Ahmed (Finance); Aisha Abubakar (Women Affairs); Lai Mohammed (Information); Babatunde Fashola (Works, Power and Housing); Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation); Mohammed Musa Bello (FCT); Suleiman Adamu Kazaure (Water Resources); Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (Science and Technology); Solomon Dalung (Sports and Youths Development) and others.
Although Dr Ibe Kachikwu, previous governors Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti) and Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos) were additionally speculated to have made the list.
A source revealed to The Nation that some ex-minsters, for example, Adebayo Shittu (Communications) and Okechukwu Enelamah (Trade and Industry) lost the fight to come back to the cabinet.
“I know that the two women ex-ministers are returning to the cabinet. We have a few others who have really added value that the President will be retaining.
“It is not a total overhaul, which you are anticipating. What the President promised was to leave sustainable legacies in his second term,” the source said.
In the interim, a chief official of the National Assembly stated: “Lawan dropped a hint that he will receive the list on Wednesday”.
Another source stated: “I think the list is already with the Senate President and some officers but they said it will not be made public until Thursday.”
It stays to be checked whether President Buhari will extend his cabinet from 36 individuals to 42 individuals.
Area 147(1-3), gives that the President ought to have no less than 36 clergymen at one for every state.
The section peruses: “There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President.
“Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.
“Any appointment under Subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of Section 14(3) of this Constitution:
”Provided that in giving effect to the Provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each state, who shall be an indigene of such state.”
