Presidency Dismisses Ministerial List Being Bandied Around

Nigeria’s Presidency has dismissed all names being touted as possible members of the yet to be constituted Federal Executive Council (FEC).

It described as mere fabrications various reports on the formation of cabinet by President Bola Tinubu. 

The Presidency also said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is reaping from the crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) adding that President Tinubu is operating an open door policy that has endeared him to people within and outside the country.

There had been recent media reports  speculating on who may have been penciled down for ministerial appointments, citing alleged intense lobbying by interested Nigerians.

Addressing newsmen at the State House, Abuja on the issue on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, said there is no truth in what has been put in public space about those being pencilled down for ministerial appointment. 

According to him, the President is within the stipulated 60 days period by the Constitution to submit the ministerial list, adding that it’s only Mr. President that knows who and who should make his cabinet.

Alake emphasised that the responsibility of appointing ministers rests solely on the president who will do so when he chooses.

He said: “About the ministerial list. But the simple truth is that, you know, this is an executive presidency, we’re not running a parliamentary system. So the President, the buck stops on his table, and he decides when it’s fit and proper for him to make his cabinet list known.

“We are not unaware of all the speculations, and innuendos and rumours, all kinds of things in the media. But, I as a media man, I chuckle to myself that people want to sell, so they just fabricate. 

“I can tell you all of those things you’ve been reading in the media are mere fabrications. There is no iota of truth in all of those things. When the President is good and ready. You will be the first to know about his intentions.”

Alake also informed that Tinubu’s meetings with opposition party figures has nothing to do with the formation of his cabinet, saying, however, that it is in line with his decision to run an open government. 

According to him, Wednesday’s visit to the president by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation under the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Senator Anyim Pius Ayim, and former Peoples Democratic Part National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, was to commend President Tinubu for the steps he has taken so far.

He praised them for their courage and sincerity just as he flated other opposition members for failing to appreciate the efforts of the new administration. 

Alake said the issue of former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, is a matter of harvesting from the internal  crisis of the PDP

According to him, “Wike’s case is self explanatory. It was the tempestuous nature of the PDP internal political wrangling that caused Wike’s issue and you are all aware of that. So that one has no issues with Wike’s thing, it’s an internal affairs of the PDP.

“However if as a political party your enemy is fighting itself, you reap whatever gain from it without lifting a finger, that’s what happened. 

“Now about the PDP people that came, you know the President said that his administration is running an open door policy and he is a unifier, he is a symbol of unity of the country. So if anybody from any angle wishes to see the President and has some salient point to raise or issues or observations or even suggestion, the President opens his doors. 

“So those people, Pius Anyim and Olisa Metuh came purposely to commend Mr. President. They came to commend the President for his positive policy initiatives that have put Nigeria back to the global stage and it is not just their own saying, it is not what they say they observe, we have received the same accolades and encomium from all parts of the globe. 

“So it’s not restricted to the PDP people. I think we should commend them for being quite honest and sincere with their views because there are some of the opposition people who also acknowledge this very laudable initiative of Mr. President but they are too prejudiced or myopic or parochial to acknowledge it publicly, so we need to commend those people for having the guts.”

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

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