Barring any last minute change of plans, a list of President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet members has leaked to the media and generating heated arguments in many quarters .
One of the biggest puzzle of the Tinubu’s camp has been the composition of members of the cabinet and this is especially cumbersome giving that the President-elect reportedly insists on playing fair and anchoring an administration that is all-inclusive. To this end, many stakeholders have been jostling for crucial positions while some key members of the party are already nominating reputable names to play roles in the much anticipated administration.
Speaking to the media on the condition of anonymity, an inside source revealed a list of individuals who might make Tinubu’s cabinet list in various ministries.
According to the source, “barring any last minute change; Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau seem to have gotten the nod to be the next National Security Adviser and Nuhu Ribadu, minister of justice.”
While Tinubu’s cabinet members list appears to be wearing shape, extensive investigations reveal that the President-elect has reserved strategic offices like that of the Attorney General of the Federation for his preferred candidate. According to our source, the preferred candidate to occupy office of the Attorney General is likely someone from South-West region.
It was gathered that Dambazzau got the nod for NSA because of his background in the military, being a former Chief Of Army Staff under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Nuhu Ribadu is mostly recommended for the ministry of Justice administratively since his background in law and anti-corruption stance seem fitting,” the source also noted.
Furthermore, Hadiza Bala Usman is the likely candidate for the position of the FCT Minister, barring any last-minute change and lobbying.
Hadiza Bala Usman is a Nigerian politician who served as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority from 2016 to 2021. She was previously the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2016.
Also, from October 2004 to January 2008, she was hired by the UNDP for the Federal Capital Territory Administration as a Special Assistant to the-then Minister Nasir El-Rufai on project implementation.
Usman also once worked at the Bureau of Public Enterprises from July 2000 to August 2004 as an enterprise officer.
Tinubu, according to sources, considers this profile fitting for the task ahead in Abuja.
The source also said: “There’s no disputing the fact that most of Tinubu’s political associates in the South-West have their eyes on the cabinet, but I will tell you that it is going to be a tough one to predict those who will make it, given their respective pedigrees.”
Making a case for Babatunde Fashola who has been reported to be the favourite for the Chief of Staff position as against initial choice of Femi Gbajabiamila, the source said, “How can one dismiss Fashola, who not only served as Chief of Staff to Tinubu, but later succeeded him as governor of Lagos State, or Wale Edun and Dele Alake, who served as commissioners under Tinubu?
“Are we also talking about Fayemi, Tunji Bello, Sunday Dare, Mamora or Adeyeye, who is the brain behind the South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), which was in the forefront of Tinubu’s Presidential project?”
Further findings, show that Wale Edun is being tipped as the preferred candidate for Minister of Finance as Nigerians await the next cabinet.
The Choice of Wale Edun according to an insider source is to balance the possible choice of former Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. It was learned that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is favoured above Tony Elumelu and Wale Edun as the substantive CBN Governor.
Tinubu’s Cabinet members list have become a major subject of conversation in several quarters with various permutations flying around.
9news Nigeria
