THE President may have dumped his plan to form a Government of National Unity with the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Labour Party (LP).
In line with the disposition of Dr Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the nominees of Governors Peter Obi (Anambra) and Dr. Segun Mimiko (Ondo) have been struck off the list of cabinet members. The list was sent to the Senate yesterday.
For supporting his election in April, Jonathan has offered APGA two ambassadorial and two Special Adviser slots. Besides, Senator Joy Emordi is to be Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters.
LP will get one ambassadorial post and a Special Adviser.
Jonathan has conveyed his change of mind to Obi and Mimiko, it was learnt.
Obi nominated a former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, as APGA candidate. Mimiko nominated Mrs. Omobola Olubusola Johnson, who is said to be a daughter of an Ondo Kingdom chief, Bayo Akinnola.
But, following pressure on the President by PDP leaders, the GNU game plan changed overnight.
The President was said to have appreciated the governors’ roles in his victory, but claimed that the PDP was “not favourably disposed to a Government of National Unity.”
“The PDP has chosen to bear full responsibility for its success and failure in government between now and 2015,” a source quoted the President as telling the governors, adding:
“Some top members of the party also felt that a GNU will prevent PDP from effectively challenging APGA and LP during the governorship election in Anambra and Ondo states in 2012. And neither of the governors is prepared to join the PDP.”
“The position of PDP leaders is that the two states are naturally PDP enclaves and the 2012 poll is significant to recapture the two states.
“Also, the pressure to retain a former Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) by Southwest PDP leaders was enormous,” said a source close to the plans, who pleaded not to be named.
At the Senate, 10 nominees have been shortlisted for the first batch to face the Senate screening.
All senators got the list of the 10 nominees at about 6pm yesterday.
In the first batch are mostly re-nominated ministers.
They are Emeka Nwogu (Labour); Senator Bala Mohammed (FCT); Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke (Petroleum Resources); Elder Godsday Orubebe (Niger Delta Affairs); Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (Health); Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (Ekiti); Mrs. Ruqayyat Rufai (Education); Dr. Shamsudeen Usman (National Planning); Mohammed Musa Sada (Mines and Steel); and Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).-The nation
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