Senate May Get Ministerial List tomorrow

Indications emerged on Monday that list of ministers to be appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari is ready and will be forwarded to the Senate, requesting their confirmation.

It was also gathered that the Senate might accordingly get a letter from the president, requesting for the confirmation of the nominees today or tomorrow.

Buhari, who was inaugurated president on May 29, had been operating his government with the structure of the Federal Public Service without cabinet members.

 He had, at different times, said he was in search of Nigerians with integrity to be part of his team to reposition the country.

 Ahead the submission of the list by president, the national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had summoned an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) to vet the list.

 According to a source, besides discussing the proposed ministerial list, the party leadership would brainstorm on the multiple crises rocking it.

 There has been anxiety that the president may not be able to meet the September deadline as he was quoted recently as saying that the month was running to an end too fast for his liking.

 Indications, however, emerged that Buhari, currently attending the 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York, had concluded work on the list.

The list may be presented to the Senate before October 1, it was gathered.

 While reacting to an online report that Buhari had sent one of his National Assembly Liaison Officers, Senator Ita Enang, back to Nigeria with the list meant for the Senate, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, told reporters in New York on Monday that he would not be surprised if the list was ready.

 He said it was within the timeline given by the president himself.

 "I will not be surprised if the list is ready because it is within the timeline that the president gave.

 "He said he will name his cabinet in September. Today (Monday) is September 28, so if it happens that it is ready, it is within the timeline," Adesina said.

When asked to give an insight into the number of nominees on the list, the presidential spokesman simply said "the constitution already gives you an idea of the number of people that can be on the cabinet, because it stipulates that we must have, at least, one minister per state."

 A top presidency source, however, told the Nigerian Tribune that the president did not necessarily have to send Enang back to Nigeria to submit the list, since he (the president) himself and his delegation are due back in the country today. 

"Senator Ita Enang is billed to return to Nigeria today. The president does not have to send him back because of the list. The truth is that the list will be given to the Senate either on Tuesday or Wednesday," the official said.