EDITOR’S PICK:
EKO HOT BLOG reports that President Muhammadu Buhari stunned Nigerians when it emerged that he has asked ministers in his cabinet aspiring for elective positions in the 2023 general elections to resign on or before May 16, 2022.
This followed the powerful minister’s rebuff of strident calls from most Nigerians for them to toe the path of honour by throwing in the towel as well as their refusal to honour the directive of their party, APC, for those seeking any of the party’s tickets to resign from appointive positions.
As the ministers sat pretty in their positions even after most state governors were relieving commissioners with political ambitions, the President at the least expected moment dropped the bombshell that ministers eyeing political offices, who have obtained nomination forms, must resign.
The about 10 ministers with political ambitions were caught napping shortly before the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting when the President asked them to resign as he showed “a bit of anger” at their indiscretion.
Quoting a source, The Nation reports, “We were about to conclude the meeting when the President spoke. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was reading the notice, usually at the tail end of the meeting, when Buhari interjected. He then said: ‘Before you conclude, I have something to say.’
“The President said he had received the resignation of Nwajiuba seeking to be President. ‘I expect other members of this council seeking to be President to resign with immediate effect’.”
“There was a pin drop silence because most cabinet members felt the affected colleagues were untouchable.
“There was also a fresh confusion among ministers. They were not clear or sure if this directive will affect other ministers aspiring to be governors, Senators and House of Representatives members.
“We have been expecting more clarifications. A minister later brought news that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu may clarify the status of ministers aspiring to be governors, Senators and House of Representatives members.”
Asked to capture the mood at the FEC after Buhari spoke up, another source was reported as saying: “The ministers were all transfixed with attention shifting to Malami, Onu and Ngige who were physically present at the meeting.
“With the SGF helpless, ministers formed clusters to discuss the decision of the President. No one could be of assistance to another other than to review the situation.”
Buhari was said to be uncomfortable with the accusations of conflict of interest levelled against the ministers running for offices in the 2023 general elections by notable and well-meaning Nigerians.
The newspaper also gathered that the decision by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to go to court over his presidential aspiration fueled the President’s anger.
The President was said to have been angry since Tuesday when he read about Emefiele’s court action, and was said to make his displeasure known to SGF Mustapha on Tuesday.
He, however, singled out the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba for braving the odds to quit to avoid being accused of conflict of interest.
The ministers affected by the directive to resign latest on Monday include ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; and Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, who have joined the presidential race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others are the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, who are running for governor in Kebbi and Abia states respectively.
FURTHER READING:
The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, declared her ambition to contest for a senatorial seat in Plateau State. Similarly, the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, is running for Senate in Ondo State.
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