Barring any last minute changes, immediate past Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai may be named the Minister of Power when the Senate unveils the ministerial list THE WHISTLER has gathered.
The list which was billed for unveiling on Wednesday during plenary may now be unveiled on Thursday according to a presidency source.
A source in the office of the Clerk of the Senate hinted this paper that contrary to the revelation on Tuesday by the Clerk of the Senate, Magaji Tambuwal, that the list was up for unveiling on Wednesday, that it is still being awaited.
She however added that “except that they are keeping close tabs on it so as not to make it leak, it has not arrived as of Wednesday morning before plenary.”
The ministerial list which has long been expected would now be presented on Thursday or next week legislative days of Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Any presentation of the list to the Senate beyond these days would be tantamount to illegality as the amended constitution provides the president and governors 60 days window to form cabinet.
Towards the end of the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, the national assembly had amended the constitution in order to stop the President and governors from ruling without a cabinet for too long.
Buhari had spent 6 months before naming his cabinet which drew intense criticism.
Although the chief spokesman to President Bola Tinubu, Dele Alake, had said in March that, “I think 60 days is even too much to form a cabinet” and that, “A month, maximum, is enough for any serious government to form its cabinet and put a structure of government in place after swearing-in.”
But Tinubu has spent 10 days shy of 60 days in office.
Alake however told THE WHISTLER that things have changed, and that “There’s a new 60-day law.” He declined to explain further.
But this paper gathered from a Presidency source who was privy to those the president would have presented to the Senate for consideration that the list may likely be unveiled on Thursday with El-Rufai headlining the appointments.
He doubled down on his revelation when asked if El-Rufai was in the list and the portfolio, saying, “Yes, he’s there, as the Power Minister.”
Another source confirmed that the list was indeed ready as “all security checks have been conducted and concluded on the 37 names expected.”
He however said the buck stops with the president to tinker with it even in the last minutes.
He further explained that the list has been tinkered with several times owing to disagreement from states and stakeholders and the president’s decision to accommodate input.
On El-Rufai he further revealed that the former Minister of the FCT has begun “to meet some experts he wants to work with to fix the power problem. It’s a take home the Tinubu administration wants,” he said.
He said El-Rufai’s appointment was to enable him bring his managerial skill “like he did in Abuja” to bear on the administration.
Among the much sought after portfolios which have allegedly delayed the submission of the ministerial list are the Ministers of Works, Power, Defense, Justice, Finance, Petroleum and Agriculture.
These are considered “juicy” portfolios on account of the responsibilities and areas ministers that handle them control.
