List Of Top Politicians Up For Consideration
Expectations are already high for positions in the cabinet of President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who will assume power after swearing in on May 29.
Recall that the former Governor of Lagos State was on March 1, declared winner of the February 25th presidential poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The poll results announced by INEC shows that the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer garnered more votes than his major contenders, the likes of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
Though the duo have challenged the outcome of the polls at the court, inauguration of the president-elect is still scheduled to hold May 29, barring last minutes decisions.
Ahead of the event, Naija News learnt that Tinubu plans to compensate Northern APC governors for the role they played in making sure a southern succeeded President Muhammadu Buhari and particularly backing his ambition.
According to New Telegraph, two northern governors who played important roles in Tinubu’s emergence, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, have been penciled down for juicy positions in the upcoming government.
While Tinubu and his Vice Presidential-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima awaits their swearing in, there are expectations that the new leadership will adhere to a bill recently signed into law by President Buhari, which demands that list of ministerial nominees are submitted to the Senate within 60 days of assuming office.
Appointments with high focus is considered in two categories, presidency and ministerial, with one having at least three subdivisions. Under the presidency, offices to be filled include Chief of Staff, CoS, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Special Advisers, SAs, and Senior Special Assistants, SSAs.
Impacts On Campaign, Tinubu’s Election Will Play Major Role In Key Positions
Daily Post quoted party sources as saying that those who will emerge in Tinubu’s cabinet will likely be appointed based on capacity, loyalty, work ethics, efforts during campaign, impact on Tinubu’s election, among other factors.
List of Top Politicians Up For Consideration In Tinubu’s Cabinet Are:
Simon Lalong – Incumbent governor of Plateau State and former Speaker of the House of Assembly. Lalong was Director-General of the APC Campaign Council.
Bayo Onanuga – Director of Media and Publicity, PCC- served in the Buhari administration as Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
Femi Gbajabiamila – Incumbent speaker of the House of Representatives.
Babatunde Fashola – Minister of Works and Housing and a former two-term governor of Lagos State.
James Faleke – Secretary, APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), who is also a House of Representatives member.
Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (retd) – Director of Intelligence and Security, PCC. Jibril is Nigeria Legion chairman: heads the Presidential Think Tank on Defence and Security, PTTDS.
Nuhu Ribadu – A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)). The former police officer headed the Petroleum Revenue Task Force.
Abdullahi Ganduje – Incumbent Governor of Kano State. Ganduje is serving his second term in office.
Nasir El-Rufai – Incumbent Governor of Kaduna State who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. He was Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE.
Bello Matawalle – Incumbent Governor of Zamfara State. Matawalle was formerly the House of Representatives member for Bakura/Maradun federal constituency. He lost his re-election bid during the general election.
Atiku Bagudu – A two-term governor of Kebbi State and ex-Senator. He chaired the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF. He is a Presidential Transition Council, PTC, member.
Wale Edun – A banker and Chapel Hill Denham Group chairman, was Commissioner for Finance throughout Tinubu’s tenure as governor. He is a member of the PTC.
Kayode Fayemi – Former two-term governor of Ekiti State, served in the Buhari administration as Minister of Mines and Steel Development.
Hadiza Bala Usman, Deputy Director (Administration) in the campaign council, was previously Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.
Festus Keyamo – Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Keyamo is the Official Spokesperson of the APC PCC is the current Minister of State for Labour and Employment.
Babatunde Ogala – SAN. A former Legal Adviser of the party served as Head of Legal Directorate, Tinubu Campaign Organisation.
Femi Fani-Kayode – Director of Special Projects and New Media, PCC, was Minister of Aviation, Minister of Culture and Tourism, and SA on Public Affairs to the President.
Dele Alake – Director of Strategic Communication, PCC. He was Commissioner for Information and Strategy throughout Tinubu’s tenure as governor.
Hannatu Musawa – An activist and legal practitioner, served as Deputy Director of Public Affairs in the APC Campaign Council.
Tunde Rahman – The Head of Tinubu Media Office. The former Editor of Thisday Newspaper is the founder Western Post Newspaper.
Others likely to play roles are campaign directors: Mohammed Idris, Strategic Communications; Aminu Jaji, Contact & Mobilization; Bello Goronyo, Youth Mobilization; Bobboi Kagama, Labour; Musa Babayo, Policy & Research, and Ade Omole, Diaspora.
