President Muhammadu Buhari has personally composed his list of ministerial appointments; however, the names of big time politicians are reportedly missing.
The godfathers of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who had hints of Buhari’s path and were already worried over this development.
Contrary to the practice where the Senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives would have appointees in the cabinet, both Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, had been kept in the dark over the ministers.
The names of former governors who had been heavily advertised in the early days of the government had also been removed.
The President Buhari might have denied several appointees from political leaders in the APC, in his resolute bid to promote a crop of new type politicians, a legacy the president hopes to leave behind in the Nigerian political society.
While details of the names remained unclear, some sources said the ministerial list was consistent with Buhari’s desire to enable the emergence of his trusted associates and new kind politicians in the scene ahead of 2019.
A source in fact said Buhari had formed a list including those he defined as political “minnows,” continuing that the major players who were hopeful of making the list were in for a big shocker.
The list is already with the Department of State Services (DSS), while sources close to the service could not confirm the progress.
Meanwhile, the authorities ordered to block all avenues by which the list of appointees would get to the media before its publishing by the Senate.
Moreover, the subject of loyalty is also a reason Buhari was determined to ensure a take-over of the polity by his crop of new kind politicians, who he considered would institute discipline and integrity.
“The president has made it clear to his party leaders that he needs to put in place a team that would work for the people.
“He is also insisting on people with unblemished record of service. He had stated that he would not condone a public officer who would be going to court with official vehicles to defend corruption charges.
“This is the time to walk the talk and the feelers we are having is that he (Buhari) stuck to his guns,” a source close to the APC said.
In line with this resolve to choose trusted men, Buhari denied the quest of one of the governors to appoint someone who can perform wonders as minister of Federal Capital Territory.
The governor have reportedly recently approached the president with a candidate he considered would perform well in Abuja and reinstate sanity to the Federal Capital, but Buhari told the governor that he already had someone in mind.
A source said: “The president has assured his party leaders that while sensitivity of the job of ministers would not allow him pick some of their favoured candidates some names could be considered for future assignments.”
President Buhari had said in a media interview during the week that his ministers would go to his trusted hands, which had been with him through his vacation in the APP, ANPP, CPC and APC.
Nigerian leader recently marked 100 days in office, but is yet to appoint much awaited cabinet.
