The list of ministers
to be appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari is ready.
The Senate may get a
letter from the President requesting the confirmation of the nominees on
Tuesday or Wednesday.
It will be recalled
that Buhari who was inaugurated as President on May 29 had promised to name
members of his cabinet in September.
He had at different
times said he was in search of Nigerians with integrity to be part of his team
that would reposition the country.
There has been anxiety
that the President may not be able to meet the September deadline as he was
quoted recently as saying that the month was running to an end too fast for his
liking.
Indications have
however emerged that Buhari, who is currently attending the 70th United Nations
General Assembly in New York, had concluded work on the list.
The list may be
presented to the Senate before October 1.
While reacting to an
online report that Buhari had sent one of his National Assembly Liaison Officers,
Senator Ita Enang, back to Nigeria with the list meant for the Senate,
presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, told reporters in New York on Monday that
he would not be surprised if the list was ready.
He said it was within
the timeline given by the President himself.
“I will not be
surprised if the list is ready because it is within the timeline that the
President gave. He said he would name his cabinet in September. Today (Monday)
is September 28, so if it happens that it is ready, it is within the timeline,”
Adesina said.
When asked to give an
insight into the number of nominees on the list, the presidential spokesman
simply said, “The constitution already gives you an idea of the number of
people that can be on the cabinet because it stipulates that we must have at
least one minister per state.”
A top Presidency source
however told Punch that the President did not necessarily have to
send Enang back to Nigeria to submit the list since he (the President) himself
and his delegation are due back in the country on Tuesday.
“Senator Ita Enang is
billed to return to Nigeria today. The President does not have to send him back
because of the list. The truth is that the list will be given to the Senate
either on Tuesday or Wednesday,” the official said.
- Punch
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