Tonye Cole
The president has written the Senate informing them of his decision to withdraw the nomination of Tonye Cole, who was supposed to represent Rivers State in the cabinet. Mr Cole is the managing director of Sahara Energy Resource Limited, a company he founded in 1996 with his friends, Tope Shonubi and Ade Odunsi. He is considered an oil and gas expert amongst the 34-man list of ministerial nominees the president forwarded to the Senate for confirmation last week. The reason for Mr Cole’s withdrawal was not immediately given by the president’s letter.
Mr Cole’s withdrawal is, however, believed to be on the orders of local politicians from his state, who had criticised his inclusion and have been campaigning for a replacement. Sources believe he will be replaced with Ezebunwo Wike, the chief of staff to the governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi.
Obadiah Ando, former water resources minister, also faces similar confirmation challenges. He is being resisted by his kinsmen for alleged poor performance in the former cabinet. He has been opposed by politicians in his state that said he “under-performed” and was “inaccessible” in the last regime.
Okonjo-Iweala in
The Senate, on Tuesday, also confirmed receiving the nomination of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for screening and approval as minster in President Goodluck Jonathan’s budding cabinet.
The letter nominating Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was read at the Senate on Tuesday in a brief open-door session after a lengthy secret meeting with Nigeria’s security chiefs over the Boko Haram menace.
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, former finance minister and currently a director of the World Bank, was at the headquarters of the State Security Service, Abuja, the previous day for the security screening. She is expected to bring in credibility to the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and take charge of the nation’s economy. It is, however, not clear which portfolio the World Bank director would be assigned. The former finance minister, Mr Aganga, is also coming to the government with high chances of returning to the finance ministry.
it was however, learnt last night that Akinwunmi Adesina, one of the nominees from Ogun State, walked out of the screening process after he couldn’t get the high profile job he desired. Although expectations had been that Mr Adesina, an agricultural economist and an associate director at the Rockefeller Foundation, would bag the agriculture ministry – traditionally a job handled by someone from the north – he could not get the president’s consent to hold the post. He subsequently refused to attend his Senate screening and flew back to his US base.
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