MINISTERIAL LIST: HOW BUHARI'S LAST MINUTE CHANGE FAVORED NGIGE.

After a long wait, President Muhammadu Buhari
finally submitted the list of his cabinet to the
Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.
The president has been at the receiving end of
harsh criticisms by angry Nigerians over his
‘deliberate’ refusal to unveil his ministers three
months after assuming office.
The president had anchored the reason for the
delay on the ground that he needed time to select
those who were credible and trustworthy to run
the affairs of the nation with him.
newspapers reports that the list, which was
submitted to the senate president, Bukola Saraki
yesterday by Buhari’s Special Adviser on National
Assembly Matters, Itan Enang would be officially
made public at the next plenary on Tuesday.
However, report has it that among those penned
down for ministerial appointments were,
immediate past governor of Lagos State,
Babatunde Fashola, former Ekiti State governor,
Kayode Fayemi, former lawmaker, Chris Ngige and
erstwhile governor of old Anambra State,
Ogbonaya Onu, among others.
However, sources said that Chris
Ngige’s name came in at the eleventh hour.
According to a top presidency source, President
Buhari, who has been constantly accused of
marginalizing Ndigbo over their refusal to support
him during the election, didn’t have it in mind to
appoint Ngige.
The source said that Ngige’s
appointment was done to mainly compensate
Ndigbo.
“Ngige was not part of the first list of people
compiled, I can tell you that. His name came at
the eleventh hour. The president had a change of
mind because of the complaints in many quarters
that he was punishing the south east region
because of their refusal to vote for him during the
election.
“It took the intervention of some close associates
and aides for the appointment of Ngige.”
Asked if president Buhari was truly angry with the
south easterners because of the outcome of the
election, the source said the president had
nothing against them.
“See, that notion is wrong. The good thing is that
Buhari has won the election and that is it. Where
the vote came from is not the main issue now.
Remember, he said he belongs to nobody and
belongs to everybody,” the source added.