APC to Nigerians: Wait for Tuesday’s official announcement of Buhari’s ministerial list

Nigerians were yesterday, advised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) not to accept in its entirety the list being bandied around in the media, but be patient for the official announcement of the names of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees by the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, when it resumes for plenary, after its Independence Anniversary recess.

The sealed ministerial list handed-over to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki (Left) by the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari (Middle), as Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang looks on. Wednesday, 30/9/2015

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said whatever names currently published in the media, no matter how authoritative, are mere speculations and should not be accepted as the names sent by the President to the Senate.

APC spokesman said: “Unfortunately, the Senate is yet to read the list, so whatever you read anywhere is mere speculation. Not until the Senate President reads out the list on Tuesday, it will be too premature for anybody to start making a comment on who and who is on the list.

“But from what I take from what the President said this morning (Thursday), people think there has been undue delay but he explained that the delay was due to the fact that there were no proper handover notes and that the transition committee was not helped much because the transition committee did not receive the handover notes until about four days to the handover.”

Also reacting to statement credited to President Buhari that he will be in charge of the Ministry of Petroleum, the Mohammed said Buhari, as one-time Minister of Petroleum and the Commander-in-Chief, is in the best position to oversee the very important ministry.

He said: “I think not only all in the APC will be comfortable with that but I think Nigerians should be comfortable with it because he has been minister for petroleum resources before. So, he is not a rookie in the business. I think if the oil today accounts for almost 70 per cent of all our revenue, it is only proper that somebody who is knowledgeable, who has the experience and who is the Commander-in- chief should take that position.”