Ministers List: How Buhari Chose His Men & Women Secretly

Ministers List: How Buhari Chose His Men & Women Secretly

President Muhammadu Buhari’s 21 would-be ministers whose names he gave the Senate on Wednesday night were said to have been unaware of their nominations until the very last minute.

The President neither met nor hinted any of the nominees of their appointments for security reasons.

After shortlisting those he needed, according to a source, Buhari directed security agencies to conduct some discreet investigations into their records. Even those closer to Buhari were not cleared...

A source told Naijaspyce that only Olusegun Obasanjo, Ahmed Joda and Bola Tinubu were aware.

Following the submission of the list, according to The Nation, the Presidency has directed all the nominees to submit their curriculum vitae.

There was anxiety in about 15 states because no nominees were named. Some of the states are Ondo, Kogi, Abia, Enugu and Imo.

A source, who spoke with The Nation, said: “Most of the nominees announced on Wednesday were caught unawares because Buhari never sat any of them down or told them they would be among his ministers.

“Even though some of them had been coming to the Presidential Villa, he did not confide in them.

“I can tell you that the President did not give assurance to Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi, and Babatunde Fashola. Even as close as Lt.-Gen. Dambazzau and Sen. Hadi Sirika are to the him, they did not know they would be in the cabinet. The President adopted suspense all through. That is his style."

The source continued, “The President adopted intelligence approach in picking his team. A few others who were nominated by some highly-placed Nigerians, political leaders and governors could not scale through the discreet checks.

“Apart from merit, Buhari gave ministerial slots to those who have the ability, those who can deliver and those he has trusted over the years, including those who worked with him in the former Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and those in the trenches with him in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He has rewarded selflessness, perseverance and loyalty."