As Nigerians await President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet list, which is likely to be intriguing, politicians in the South-South are in a spirited fight to make the cabinet. Due to the abysmal performance of ministers from the South-south in the past cabinet, political observers want the new cabinet to be a blend of technocrats and youths to effectively deliver the dividends of democracy. But the All Progressives Congress (APC) politicians in the zone think otherwise. For them, President Buhari must reward party cronies, even after the party failed to unseat any incumbent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta and Rivers States. However, the President has set out three major criteria for ministerial aspirants. The person must be a party man, a politician and a technocrat. He must have held government position before. But most of the South-south candidates have these credentials.
Uduaghan, Ogboru, Emerhor, Ochei and Frank Kokori battle in Delta
The dynamics seem to be dictated by the fallout of the last general elections in Delta state. With APC’s failure to clinch any strategic position, the hawks have sent signals to the APC leadership that any cabinet appointment must come only from APC, as compensation. Last week, a group, Delta APC Youth Leaders and Stakeholders’ Forum told President Buhari that appointments into the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), should be reserved for APC members.
Huhuonline.com has learnt that considerations are revolving around APC chieftains, including, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; APC governorship candidate, Great Ogboru; self-appointed APC leader, O’tega Emerhor; former Speaker, Victor Ochei and Frank Kokori, former secretary general of NUPENG and member of APC board of trustees.
Uduaghan enjoys considerable leverage by virtue of his personal relationship with APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. Besides, Uduaghan played an important role in hosting Buhari in Warri prior to election. So, he may be rewarded for these efforts. Although, Great Ogboru has challenges with regard to the role he played during the governorship elections, it is believed he has bonded well with power brokers in the Presidency, who may influence his emergence as a minister.
Before the elections, there was a groundswell of opinion that Emerhor, who sacrificed his political interests to allow Ogboru emerge as APC governorship candidate, should naturally be rewarded with a ministerial appointment. However, his perceived closeness to PDP might work against him. The chances of Ochei and Kokori are slim. But if that happens, it would be a reward for loyalty to APC.
Cross River: Survival of the fittest
In Cross River, the schism is between former Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Pastor Usani Usani-backed Etim John, state executive and the APC’s governorship candidate, John Owan-Enoh-backed exco of John Ochalla. The Owan-Enoh group won at the Appeal Court and the matter is now in the Supreme Court.
For the ministerial slot, a part of the cabal in the Presidency favors the former minister, who is said to be a man of integrity, as it was claimed that he returned about N500m to the party, being money left in his custody to drive the campaigns and elections of February 23 and March 9 in the state. This is said to be working for him, but he is not favorably disposed to party hierarchy in Abuja and the Ochalla executive in the state, which is working against him.
On the other hand, it is alleged that the party in Abuja has advised the President to consider all APC governorship candidates that lost in their various states in the last elections. This argument has thrown up Senator Owan-Enoh. He is favorably disposed to the party in Abuja, and as a former senator with years of experience in law-making, he could be considered.
Others are NDDC commissioner for Cross River, Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong, Nigerian Ambassador to Uganda, Etubom Eyoma Nya Asuquo and the immediate past NDDC Chairman, Sen Victor Ndoma-Egba. Those pushing for Prof Nyong are close to the Presidency. He is a strong party man and in the APC good books in the state and Abuja. Ambassador Asuquo is a loyal party man and a long-standing friend of the President, going back to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). Sen Ndoma-Egba’s tall credentials and long-standing relationship with Buhari, while military Head of State, are some of the factors mitigating in his favor.
Akwai Ibom: Akpabio’s fingers are crossed
In Akwa Ibom, those in high contention include, Senators Godswill Akpabio, Ita Solomon Enang and James Akpan Udoedehe. Others are: Umana Okon Umana and the immediate past Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma. Insinuations abound that, Sen Udoma has asked the President not to reappoint him, as he wants to return to his family. Huhuonline.com learnt from Aso Rock sources that Buhari has asked the immediate Minister of National Planning to suggest somebody to take over his position, since he doesn’t want to return as minister. It was gathered that he suggested John Akpan Udoedeghe because of his loyalty to the party since he left PDP in 2007 to Action Congress of Nigeria now APC.
There has been high level intrigues and horse-trading with the aim of outwitting one another to curry favor from the Presidency. This must have led to some faceless group claiming to be APC stalwarts placing advertorial in national and local papers, calling on Buhari not to consider Akpabio because he was new to the party in the state. They also claimed his actions or inactions led to the party not winning the last elections in Akwa Ibom.
A source told Huhuonline.com that the recent appointment of presidential aides without former Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Solomon Enang, is indicative that he might emerge as the minister from Akwai Ibom. Some observers think that Akpabio still believes he would win the case at the election tribunal against Sen Christopher Ekpenyong.“Akpabio has never accepted that he lost the election and so, he is having a strong belief in the outcome of the tribunal that he will reclaim his mandate. Therefore, he may not be interested in the ministerial appointment,” the source said
Uneasy Calm in Bayelsa
In Bayelsa, an uneasy calm prevails and though indications are rife that former Governor Timi Sylva may clinch the ministerial slot, Sylva’s body language and recent remarks at his 55th birthday celebration indicate he would prefer the governorship position. Sources told Huhuonline.com that Sylva, may have shelved plans to re-contest the gubernatorial poll. The only Bayelsa minister during Buhari’s first tenure was Heneiken Lokpobiri, who may have jettisoned plans to be re-appointed, after he indicated interest in the governorship race.
Lokpobiri, who was the Campaign Director to Sylva during his failed come-back bid in 2016, has chosen to run for governor, since Sylvia is indicating interest in being a minister. APC sources said there is an ongoing cold war between Sylva and Lokpobiri over who become minister and the party governorship candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial poll in November. “This was why he (Lokpobiri) decided to go for the governorship ticket to avoid double mishap of missing out on both opportunities, as Sylva has kept his plans to himself.”
Oshiomhole is poised to emerge from Edo
In Edo, APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, is most likely to emerge as a ministerial nominee. A top APC chieftain said Oshiomhole, who is engaged in a fierce political fight with his state governor, Godwin Obaseki, needs the ministerial appointment to ease him out of office as APC national chairman.
He said: “In Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole will get it. The reason they want to give him ministerial appointment is because they want to remove him as chairman of the party. I am telling you what I know. They want to remove him because he caused a lot of problem in the party. They want to remove him and two others in the National working Committee in order to renew the party.”
Rivers: Few options besides Rotimi Amaechi
The list includes former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, his close friend, Tonye Cole and Senator Magnus Abe. Sources close to Amaechi disclosed that they would be pleasantly surprised if Abe was considered for a ministerial post. Despite the calamity of not participating in the 2019 general elections, due to the clash between Abe and Amaechi, the latter has since positioned himself as a power centre in the political arena, not only in the state, but also at the national level.
Amaechi has nominated himself as ministerial nominee from Rivers. Some APC stalwarts opined that Amaechi, who was the Director General of Buhari reelection campaign organisation, played a pivotal role in re-electing the President. As such, he is perceived as a key power broker.
Though Rivers government officials are not making any effort to stop Amaechi as they did in 2015, his failure to revive moribund ports in the South-South, commence work on the Calabar-Port Harcourt-Lagos rail project, and generally attract Federal Government projects to Rivers State, makes his choice unattractive. An APC member close to the minister said: “The reason the Federal Government did not embark on any project in Rivers State despite Amaechi being a minister was because they wanted to punish Governor Wike.”
