Lobbying intensifies as Ganduje, Kwankwaso miss out in Tinubu’s first batch of ministerial list
While former governors Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai and those of Ebonyi and Rivers, David Umahi and Nyesom Wike respectively made the ministerial list of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, non of the expected former governors of Kano State were included.
Expectations have been rife that either Rabiu Musa Kawakwaso or Abdullahi Umar Ganduje would be nominated as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but the list read out at the senate plenary did not include any of them.
A presidency source told Nigerian Sketch that nomination from Kano State has been causing President Tinubu sleepless nights, as pressures keep mounting from different camps to lobby for the two former governors.
The list read out has so far been greeted with disappointment in Kano State, while President Tinubu is said to be in dilemma on who to pick from Kano.
Ganduje would have been an easy choice, safe for his open battle with a corruption case in a federal court. Kwankwaso, on the other hand, is being courted for his huge political followership in the state, which Tinubu is said to be keen to leverage on in 2027.
Our source said Tinubu’s group has been trying to find a way around the impasse by considerin Ganduje for the national chairmanship of APC, though that option also has its own backlash.
Recall that Kwankwaso does not belong to the president’s political party, the All Pregressives Congress (APC), as he is pioneermember of a new opposition party, the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNP).
Senate president, Godswill Akpabio reeled out the names at plenary on Thursday as follows:
Abubakar Momoh
Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar
Arch. Ahmed Dangiwa
Barr. Hannatu Musawa
Chief Uche Nnaji
Dr. Betta Edu
Dr. Dorris Aniche Uzoka
H.E. David Umahi
H.E. Nyesom Wike
H.E. Badaru Abubakar
H.E. Nasiru Ahmed Elrufai
Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo
Hon. Nkiru Onyeojiocha
Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo
Hon. Stella Okotette
Hon. Uju Kennedy Ohaneye
Mr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo
Mr. Dele Alake
Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN
Mr. Muhammad Idris
Mr. Olawale Edun
Mr. Waheed Adebayo Adelabu
Mrs Iman Suleiman Ibrahim
Professor Ali Pate
Professor Joseph Utsev
Senator Abubakar Kyari
Senator John Enoh
Senator Sani Abubakar Danladi.
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