President Muhammadu Buhari has handed over the task of nominating new ministers to his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Daily Trust learnt from credible sources yesterday. The party leaders will, however, carry out the assignment in consultation with state governors, our sources said.
The expansion of the cabinet will also come with cabinet
reshuffle and the splitting of some big ministries, the sources hinted. The
president announced at the party’s NEC meeting last month that he would expand
the cabinet to accommodate wider interests and eliminate disaffection.
At the inception
of his presidency, Buhari almost single-handedly formed his cabinet with little
or no input from the party and state governors.
This drew flak from party faithful who felt short-changed despite
helping to ensure the victory of Buhari. One of the sources said: “The
president had spoken, the cabinet would be expanded but what I would add here
is that there would be cabinet reshuffle, meaning fresh hands would come on
board, this is certain.
“And this is where
the APC would come in; the governors are already working to get good hands
because the president said they would have a say and the party would also have
a say,” he said. When asked if Buhari is only succumbing to pressure because he
needs a second term, the source said: “No, not at all; the president is
extremely popular with the masses but the fact is there is the need to fully
accommodate the interest of the party and that of the governors. “We are
operating a federal system of government and the president cannot operate as an
island, there is need for synergy and this can only come when everyone has
input in governance,” he said.
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