Politics

Ministerial Slots: Tinubu May Dump Ex-govs, Prefers Technocrats — Source

Published

2 years ago

June 22, 2023

As the push for ministerial appointments gathers steam, there are strong indications that President Bola Tinubu may have dumped the idea of populating his government’s former governors and prefers technocrats and professionals to be members of his cabinet, Vanguard has learned.

A reliable source said that the fate of former governors, in the formation of the cabinet remains doubtful as the President is said not to be looking in their direction.

A source familiar with the development disclosed that former governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are making frantic efforts to ensure their nominees get appointments to the Board MDAs and parastatals.

Recall that President Tinubu, on Monday, dissolved the Governing Boards of all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies, except the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Senator George Akume, had in a statement, said the action was an exercise of the president’s “constitutional powers and the public interest.”

Ex-northern govs jostle for positions, push for nominees in MDAs, parastatals

With the dissolution of the MDAs and parastatals, Vanguard was informed that former governors are pushing to have their protégés appointed.

A source, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, said the President is “trying to avoid these APC leaders.”

The source, who is a former governor, said aside from getting their nominees appointed as board chairmen, the former governors, especially those of northern extraction, are pushing to be ministers.

He said: “There is a little crisis in the northern APC; they are becoming a liability to Tinubu. Most of the former governors want to be ministers because they feel they contributed to Tinubu’s electoral victory.

‘’Some of these leaders collected mobilisation from Asiwaju but they now want to become ministers. As a result of that, they now want to become a distraction to the president by insisting that they should be appointed as ministers and also appointing people to the boards of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.”

Some of them have also approached him (President) for contracts.

“For now, Tinubu is trying to avoid these former northern governors; he is trying to distance himself from them.

“The president is looking at appointing technocrats, especially from the north. In Kano, for instance, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso is being favoured ahead of the former governor, Alhaji Umar Ganduje.

“As far as the president is concerned, Ganduje has lost Kano and the president believes Kwakwanso is more relevant to him at the federal level.”

Another source, however, insisted that Ganduje is still “Tinubu’s man.”

The fate of former govs doubtful in cabinet formation

On the fate of former governors making the list, a source said: “In some of the states like Ogun for instance, it is believed that the role played by Governor Dapo Abiodun during the APC presidential primary when he aligned with former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo did not go down well with the president. The president has not made up his mind as to which bloc of the APC in Ogun will produce a minister.

“We also heard that some former governors like Senator Ibikunle Amosun are trying to realign and make amends with the president.

“Some of them now ensure that they participate in the Friday Jumaat prayers where the president will be present.

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Amosun and a few other former governors were there.

“There is that crisis and the president is trying to avoid them.”

Why he went with a light delegation to Paris

The source further disclosed that, unlike what was obtained in the past when the president goes on a foreign trip with a large delegation made up of party chieftains, Tinubu decided to go with a light delegation to Paris.

He said: “Some of these former governors had wanted to accompany the President to Paris but he refused and insisted that he would only attend the summit with his aides.”

Recall that the President, on Tuesday, arrived in Paris, France, for the Summit on New Global Financing Pact, which will be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.

The President will participate in a two-day summit, June 22nd and 23rd, that will look at opportunities to restore fiscal space to countries that face difficult short-term financial challenges, especially the most indebted, mobilize innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change and economies struggling with the effects of COVID-19 and energy crisis.
VANGUARD

Politics

APC Explains Suspension Of Senator Gbenga Daniel

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

APC Ward 4 in Sagamu says it suspended Senator Gbenga Daniel because he refused to appear and defend himself over allegations of anti-party activities.

Speaking to journalists at the ward office in Sabo, Sagamu, the Ward Secretary, Hon. Oluwole Aduroja, said he spoke for the 19-member executive committee.

He explained that their clarification was necessary after a statement issued by MJS Partners on behalf of Senator Daniel, reacting to a November 17 letter from the APC National Secretariat.

Aduroja, who stood with the Ward Chairman, Hon. Adebayo Ismail, said the Ward Executive Committee agreed to suspend Senator Daniel because he failed to appear before a panel set up to review petitions against him.

The petitions accused him of working against the party.

He said the problem started during the last general elections, when Senator Daniel “acted in open defiance of the party and engaged in actions inimical to the interest of the APC and its candidates in Ogun State.”

Aduroja added that after the elections, the senator, “attempted to obstruct and frustrate the course of justice during the Election Petition Tribunal sittings through actions and interventions that were directly hostile to the interest of the APC and its candidates.”

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He said these actions remain unchallenged.

Reacting to the position of the APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Bashiru, in the November 17 letter, Aduroja insisted that the APC Constitution allows Executive Committees at all levelsward, local government, state, zonal or national to discipline any member.

He said Article 21(5)(vii) gives the National Working Committee the power to suspend members, but does not override the powers of Executive Committees at other levels, and does not require them to seek approval from the NWC.

He explained that “any disciplinary action taken by an Executive Council, including suspension, is subject only to appeal as outlined in Article 21(4).”

He added that nothing in the constitution makes their decision dependent on NWC review.

Aduroja said Ward 4 is committed to discipline, fairness and due process, and stressed that the suspension of Senator Gbenga Daniel remains in full effect.”

Politics

Irresponsible Of You To Blame Trump Over Rising Insecurity – ADC Blasts Tinubu’s Govt

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has criticised the Federal Government of Nigeria for blaming the wave of attacks, especially in Kebbi and Kwara States on remarks by US President Donald Trump.

Recall that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume on Wednesday, said recent statements by Trump concerning the security situation in Nigeria have emboldened violent groups across the country.

Responding to the SGF, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement said Akume’s comment was an attempt to deflect responsibility.

According to him, it is appalling that the APC-led government suggested that insecurity in Nigeria was triggered by a statement made by a foreign president.

The ADC mouthpiece further stated that the claim amounted to a shameful abdication of responsibility and a confirmation that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is overwhelmed by the security crisis.

He added that Nigerians had endured massacres, mass abductions and attacks on schools and places of worship for years under the APC-led government.

Abdullahi said the situation has worsened under the current administration because of the government’s failure to respond decisively.

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“It is therefore disingenuous to blame one tweet for the state of insecurity in Nigeria,”

“Those killing Nigerians did not need to be instigated by Trump; they were already actively encouraged by a government that consistently fails to act decisively to stop the carnage, a government that is, even after nearly three years in office, still celebrating its electoral victory while the country is turned into a killing field,” he said.

Politics

Top NNPP Mobiliser In Kano Resigns, Cites Neglect, Lack Of Recognition

Published

2 days ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

A key member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Bichi Local Government Area, Hon. Jamilu Kabir Bichi, has resigned from the party, saying he has been consistently sidelined despite his contributions.

Kabir, who was the NNPP Director-General of the 2023 Campaign in Bichi, announced his resignation in a letter dated November 19, 2025, and addressed to the party’s ward chairman.

He described his decision as “painful yet necessary,” explaining that he and his supporters had faced neglect in the party, especially in his home community.

He said the leadership had failed to acknowledge the sacrifice and effort of loyal members.

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“The leadership’s refusal at all levels to recognize our progressive agenda, loyalty, patience, and endurance has been deeply disheartening,” he wrote.

Kabir also said many committed members who worked hard to build the NNPP were denied chances to serve in the party or in government after the party won elections.

According to him, this made it impossible to remain in the party.

“As a principled individual with a political vision and mission… I can no longer, in good conscience, remain in a party that compromises my values,” he stated.

He thanked his political mentor, former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Hon. Ahmad Garba Bichi, praising his patience, loyalty, and straightforwardness.

Kabir added that he would continue to practice “politics without bitterness.”

He ended his letter with a prayer, asking Allah to guide the people of Bichi, Kano, and Nigeria, and pledged to stay committed to serving humanity.