Buhari’s Ministers List: What Positions Obasanjo, Tinubu Can’t Divide

After the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) won the
presidential poll, intensive internal campaigning has started over
the formation of the cabinet of the president-elect, Muhammadu
Buhari.
Though some candidates have been marked down for definite
offices, the selection of those to fill the sought-after “juicy”
positions may not be an easy task, as powerful party members and
others who gave Buhari support from outside the APC are pushing
their own nominees.
According to Daily Post, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, may have been
offered the Ministry of Finance in the Buhari government by
the ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo.
Soludo was a member of the economic team for the Obasanjo
government prior to becoming the governor of the CBN.
Many APC leaders are said to be against him. One of the reasons is
that Soludo remains a card-carrying member of the All Progressive
Grand Alliance.
The other is that it was under Soludo that the banking sector
almost collapsed, a situation confirmed by the former CBN chief
and Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a loyal supporter of the
APC.
The former Lagos state governor, Bola Tinubu, is considered also
to be strongly against Obasanjo’s recommendation.
Sources say he had in fact agreed a contract with Buhari prior to
the APC presidential primaries regarding appointments to
ministerial positions.
Tinubu is said to have drafted an agreement with Buhari, to which
the president-elect added his signature.
According to the accord, the former Lagos governor will name nine
ministers.
Some of the positions are said to comprise Petroleum, Finance,
Works, Federal Capital Territory and Interior.
It is for this reason that Tinubu opposes Soludo as minister of
finance.
Soludo is reported to have been persuaded by Obasanjo to accept
the nomination.
Tinubu is now reportedly pulling the strings for President-
elect Buhari’s transition team. Buhari is expected to constitute
his transition team which will consist of politicians and private
sector players that will enable his smooth takeover from the
leaving President Goodluck Jonathan government.