There are fresh speculations that President Muhammadu Buhari will keep the petroleum minister portfolio for himself in the new cabinet rather than trust anyone else with the ministry, which currently contributes over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s revenue.
Reuters quoted some close associates of the President as saying this on Tuesday.
One long-standing associate of Buhari, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the cabinet decision was still under wraps, said Nigeria’s oil sector was so dirty that nobody’s hands were clean enough to do the “surgical changes” needed.
Reuters also quoted another political associate as saying, “He will do it. It would be stupid to give that position to anyone else.”
The first source said Buhari had still not decided on his cabinet and had laughed off media speculation about the figures he would appoint, joking with friends as he read out a newspaper article that mentioned possible names: “They have picked my ministers for me! Have I even told you who I want?”
Buhari has extensive knowledge of the oil sector, having been head of the Petroleum Trust Fund under an ex-military ruler, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, in the 1990s and oil minister in the 1970s under Olusegun Obasanjo.
He was voted in by Nigerians on an anti-corruption platform after years in which graft appeared to worsen under the leadership of his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan.
Buhari sent a list of 15 special advisers to the outgoing National Assembly for approval on Tuesday, but the cabinet is unlikely to be publicly revealed until the end of July or early August, Reuters reported.
The Senate, which must confirm the cabinet, will convene only briefly on June 9 before its members go on recess for up to six weeks.
“It’s going to be a lean government; I doubt he’ll have 42 ministers like Jonathan but he must have at least 36 (for the number of states) as prescribed by the constitution, though it does not specify whether they have to be senior or junior,” an adviser in the ruling All Progressives Congress party was quoted as saying.
The new administration had not yet gone through Jonathan’s handover notes on policy, the adviser said.
“There is a huge body of proposals being bandied around the place,” the adviser said, adding that nothing beyond broad strokes had been outlined.
Jonathan has left Buhari with a cash-strapped government, with a rainy-day fund so depleted that the government must borrow just to cover salaries.
The government relies on oil sales for the bulk of its revenues but there has been little oversight on how these are handled. A former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Lamido Sanusi, was sacked under Jonathan after he declared that some $20bn in oil revenues was missing between 2012 and 2013. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Hmmm.... what kind of change is this?
ReplyDeleteWEDNESDAY Jokes
In Akpos’ class, the Mathematics teacher is teaching and she sees that Akpos isn’t paying attention, so she asks him, “If there are three ducks sitting on a fence, and you shoot one, how many are left?”
Akpos says, “None.” The teacher asks, “Why?” Akpos says, “Because the shot scared them all off.” The teacher says, “No, two, but I like how you’re thinking.”
Akpos asks the teacher, “If you see
three women walking out of an ice cream shop, one is licking her ice cream, one is sucking her ice cream, and one is biting her ice cream,
Continue...
We want our President to handle the oil sector. With his experience in this crucial area, there can never be any other suitable person than him.
ReplyDeleteTo save the country from the mes left behind, let us all pray that Almighty Allah helps us out. And since He gives us a very reliable leader, our way out of trouble is cleared.
You will all die bcos of this oil...We know you are coming to enrich your pocket just like others...OBJ was Petroleum minister for 8yrs and stole enough for himself and generation to come and you still want to follow that line.
ReplyDeleteThe fraud in the petroleum sector can make one dizzy. Let Buhari head that sector himself. Sanity and accountability must be brought back. The fear if Buhari will surely keep them in their corrupt toes.
ReplyDeleteThe same kind of accountability OBJ did, Haahahaha the love of oil money. So nobody in Niaja can handle the post other than Buhari, it's just funny that some pple think they are god.
ReplyDeleteJoke of the century..Now tell us why preaching about unemployment in Ur so called campaign..this should be a job opportunity for millions of our qualified professional graduates out there who ar very much capable..bloody walker
ReplyDeleteI just Dey Laugh oo!
DeleteAPseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Change!sAi Buhari! I just dey laugh. God dey ooooo!
Delete@anonymous 11:33AM
DeleteI hope you will get to read this: how can a single post become job oppopportunity for 'millions' qualified graduates:
What experience do they have as regards?
And how does that save the embezzlement exposed to the position?
Buhari hasn't named himself the petroleum minister yet and the haters are already shouting, GEJ had his chance, he blew it
ReplyDeleteAboki, want to handle petroleum ! Ask them the ratio of Hausa ,Igbo and Yoruba in NNPC you will see that is 80:15:5 Hausa 80%, Igbo 15% and Yoruba 5%, who then are we deceiving ? They are in charge before because nigeria according to them belong to Fulani and they have take back their power. Shame on all blind nigerian traditional rulers, enlighten leaders and rest of them that are in position to talk and refused, very soon you will know what we are all in for.
ReplyDelete