Former military dictator, Mr. Ibrahim Babangida, is flexing some new-found political muscle against his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, over ministerial appointments, in what could be regarded as a face-off flowing from the scuttling of Babangida's presidential ambition by Obasanjo in the 2007 elections.
Nigerian Tribune reports that the delay in the release of President Umaru Yar'Adua's cabinet list had allowed for fresh horse-trading with those who lost out in the selection made two weeks ago at the party caucus meeting in Abuja now making a dramatic comeback.
The names on the list may be read out on the Senate floor shortly just as other reports indicated that even some nominees might appear before the Senate in a bid to fast-track the confirmation process.
It was reliably learnt that Mr. Tony Anenih, leading those loyal to former Ibrahim Babangida, was pushing hard to ensure that their nominees made the final list, a goal being resisted by close allies of the former president.
When the caucus meeting held recently, Obasanjo had boycotted the meeting due to his emerging differences with Anenih, asking Mr. Olabode George to represent him.
The meeting was said to have ratified some ministerial nominations from some of the states with an alleged agreement to forward the list to the Senate, an exercise in which many loyalists of the former president lost out.
Obasanjo, on return, was said to have upturned most of the decisions, relying on the support of top leaders of the party such as Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Mr. Ojo Maduekwe, the legislative leaders and the many mega rich citizens who emerged during the last eight years of civilian rule.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that President Umaru Yar‘Adua is maintaining a studied silence as both camps struggle for supremacy, even as Obasanjo appears to have the upper hand in the confrontation.
He attempt by the Obasanjo group to dominate the ministerial list has angered many and the involvement of Mr. Aliko Dangote in the nomination of the ministers from the North is said to be widening the opposition to the Obasanjo group.
It was gathered that the business mogul personally suggested nominees not just from Kano, but other parts of the North in conjunction with Obasanjo while also rallying support for the Otta farmer in the ongoing struggle for the soul of the presidency.
The mega rich club, of which Femi Otedola and Jim Ovia are members, were said to have prevailed on the president not to stray from the pre-election agreement, just as they drummed support for Obasanjo through the activation of their political wing within and outside the ruling party.
The situation has brightened the chances of those normally referred to as ‘Obasanjo boys’ as the final list that emerged from the caucus meeting over the weekend reportedly favoured those endorsed by the former president and his allies.
The anti-Obasanjo forces are, however, fighting back as reports showed that petitions are piling up on the president’s desk on why some nominees should not be included in the final list.
The ambush point, Nigerian Tribune learnt, is the National Assembly during the screening exercise, a possibility already pre-empted by the Obasanjo camp through the nomination of the former president as the head of the PDP legislative agenda committee.
While the committee is to work on bills to present to the National Assembly, it has the duty of liaising with the leadership caucus of the PDP in the two chambers where Obasanjo loyalists are predominant
Meanwhile, a presidency official told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday that the list containing the first batch of ministerial nominees may have already been sent to the Senate.
The source revealed that the nominees had also gone through the normal security screening with some of them billed to appear before the upper chamber this week.
It was learnt that about three of the nominees were reportedly dropped by security agencies during the screening.
However, several petitions are reportedly flooding both the Senate and the Presidency against some of the nominees.
“As of today, I can tell you that as from Tuesday, the ministerial nominees will be coming before the Senate for clearance. We are aware that the amended list has been forwarded to the leadership of the Senate, so we don’t want to waste any time,” the sources declared.
President Yar’Adua had earlier put the ministerial list on hold following the reconciliatory meetings with the three major opposition parties — AC, ANPP and PPA — with a view to forming a “Government of National Unity.”
