Buhari's Cabinet: Shocker Awaits APC Godfathers - Tribuneonline

•As plan for new breed politicians unfolds •President rejects N/West gov's nominee for FCT minister



SHOCKER
awaits godfathers of All Progressives Congress (APC), as President
Muhammadu Buhari is set to unfold the list of his ministerial nominees.



It was gathered that top leaders of the party, who had hints of the president's direction, were already alarmed.



It
was gathered that contrary to the practice where the Senate President
and Speaker of the House of Representatives would have nominees in the
cabinet, the duo of the Senate president Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker,
Honourable Yakubu Dogara, had been kept in the dark over the ministerial
list.



It was also gathered that names of  former governors who
had been heavily touted in the early days of the administration had been
replaced.



Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune confirmed that
the president might have rejected several nominees from political
heavyweights in the party, in his determined bid to cultivate a crop of
new breed politicians, a legacy he hopes to leave behind in the Nigerian
political space.



Nigerian Tribune also gathered that the
president had personally composed his list of ministerial hopeful, with
names of big time politicians missing.



While details of the names
remained sketchy as of press time, sources said the list was consistent
with Buhari's determination to ensure the emergence of his trusted
allies and new breed politicians in the scene ahead 2019.



A
source actually said the president had composed a list comprising those
he described as political "minnows," adding that the bigwigs who were
hopeful of making the list were in for a big shocker.



There are
reports that the list was already with the Department of State Services
(DSS), though sources close to the organisation could not confirm the
development.



It was, however, gathered that the government had
ordered that all avenues by which the list would get to the media before
its unveiling by the Senate be blocked.



Officials of the DSS
were said to be under strict order not to allow a slip, as anyone found
to have leaked the list would face sanction.



The president had
said in a media interview during the week that his appointments would go
to his trusted hands, who had been with him through his sojourn in the
APP, ANPP, CPC and APC.



Besides, the issue of loyalty is also a
reason the president was determined to ensure a take-over of the polity
by his crop of new breed politicians, who he believed would institute
discipline and probity.



"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 party said.



It
was gathered that in line with this determination to pick trusted
hands, President Buhari rejected the quest of one of the governors to
nominate someone who can perform wonders as minister of Federal Capital
Territory (FCT).



The governor was said to have recently
approached Buhari with a candidate he believed would perform well in
Abuja and restore sanity to the Federal Capital, but it was gathered
that Buhari told the governor that he already had someone in mind.



"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," a
source said.