There are indications that the ministerial list will still be fine tuned before being finally presented to the National Assembly.
Reason being that there are still more names on the list than is required to fill the slots, especially as the President intends to really cut down on the number of ministers.
A credible Presidential source, who pled anonymity told our correspondent Monday night in New York, that the list currently has 41 names and the President needs it to be reduced to the constitutional one candidate per state, while a candidate will be picked later as the FCT minister.
Lagos state, our source disclosed has three names on the list and this must be reduced to one. Former Lagos State governor , Babatunde Fashola, Abike Dabiri-Erewa and one other female name are on the list, all because of the division of who the President or the APC stalwart, Ahmed Tinubu, prefers. Whatever the case, two must be dropped, our source said adding that there was only room for one.
The President has been under serious pressure to drop Fashola.
Tinubu it was gathered would not hear of the President appointing the former governor, but the President prefers him above the others, “this has been dragging for a while now” our source said . The final decision on the matter will be taken by the Vice President and Enang.
As consolation, our source hinted that those who don’t make it to be ministers will be compensated with other appointments.
This, was one of the reasons the President invited his Special Adviser National Assembly Matters, (Senate) Ita Enang and Hon. Suleiman A. Kawu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives) on the trip to the United States.
The trio was also to use the opportunity to strategize on how to avoid any hitch after the list has been submitted, considering the brewing crisis on the floor of the house following the Senate President’s trial at the Code of Conduct Bureau.
The President, our correspondent learnt is now ready to watch whatever plays out after the senate receives the list. Enang left New York on Monday night, while his House of Representative counterpart stayed on. On arrival Enang is expected to sit with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday, to put final touches to the list, especially the number before handing it over to the Senate President.
The President departs New York Tuesday afternoon and should be in Abuja by Wednesday, during which time the list would already have been handed over.
It had earlier been reported that the President had handed over the list to Enang for onward transmission to the National Assembly on Tuesday or Wednesday, but still within the September timeline, a promise he made to Nigerians.
