The former governor of Lagos and Rivers state, Mr Babatunde Fashola and Mr.Rotimi Ameachi may be part of President Buhari's cabinet. Also the former Education minister during former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Oby Ezekwesili and the ex-Chief of Army Staff, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma may also be considered.
According to the source: “The President has been consulting widely on the list of his ministers. All things being equal, some candidates from ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-Chief of Army Staff, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the newly-elected Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki may make the list.
“Some of these heavyweights have submitted advisory names but it is left for the President to reject or accept them.
“Governors will have less input into the cabinet. The President is actually fine-tuning the list of ministers which he will soon send to the National Assembly. We are hopeful that in the next one week or two, the legislature may get the list.
“As I am talking to you, the President is keeping the list to his chest. I am aware that some ex-governors may make the team on merit.”
On the provisions of Section 147(1-3),one source said: “It is difficult for the President to manage a cabinet that is less than 36 because of the constitutional provision.
“The President may however reduce the perks of office of Ministers and make the posts less lucrative except for genuine ones who want to serve the nation. So in the light of 147(1-3), the President is handicapped and he has to run the government with at least 36 ministers unless the constitution is amended.”
The section reads: “There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President.
“Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.
“Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:
“Provided that in giving effect to the Provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each state, who shall be an indigene of such state.”
When contacted, one of the strategists of the new administration said: “The President is still keeping the list of ministers to his chest; he has not disclosed any list.
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