The Nigerian Senate has
received a correspondence from
President Goodluck Jonathan
listing seven nominees for
ministerial appointments.
Among the nominees are a
former Minister of State for
Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro,
Kenneth Kobani, a former
National Treasurer of the
defunct Action Congress of
Nigeria [ACN], who recently
defected to the Peoples
Democratic Party, and a former
Senator from Nasarawa, Patricia
Akwashiki.
Others are Professor Nicholas
Akise Ada (Benue); Augustine
Akobundu (Abia), Zonal
Chairman, South-East PDP; Engr.
Fidelia Nwankwo (Ebonyi),
Hauwa Lawan (Jigawa) and
Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya
(Taraba).
The President of the Senate,
David Mark, read the
correspondence from Mr.
President on the floor as the
upper legislative chamber
resumes deliberation after
weeks of recess.
Mr. Obanikoro was one of the
biggest casualties of the
gubernatorial primaries of the
Peoples Democratic Party [PDP],
after resigning his ministerial
position on October 15 to vie for
the party’s ticket in Lagos for
the 2015 election.
He lost to Jimi Agbaje, a
relatively less known candidate,
who had the backing of the
party’s most powerful leaders in
Lagos.
Alongside Mr. Obanikoro,
former ministers Emeka Wogu,
Labaran Maku, Onyebuchi
Chukwu, and Samuel Ortom, also lost their
bids after leaving their posts to contest in
their respective states.
Mr. Obanikoro rejected the Lagos results and
filed a legal challenge against the declaration
of Mr. Agbaje as winner, kicking off a row
that has the potential to ruin any chances the
party may have in snatching Lagos from All
Progressives Congress, APC in 2015.
The logjam was finally been resolved amicably
after President Goodluck Jonathan assured Mr.
Obanikoro he would reappoint him to cabinet
as part of a deal personally brokered by the
President to get him to discontinue his legal
challenge of the PDP governorship primary
result for Lagos State.
Mr. Obanikoro later withdrew his court case,
at the same time promising to fully support
Mr. Agbaje as the PDP candidate.
The former minister is currently enmeshed in
a huge controversy after he was heard in a
leaked tape plotting the rigging of last year’s
governorship election in Ekiti state.
PT.
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