GEJ lists Obanikoro, 7 others for ministerial slots

President Goodluck Jonathan has sent a list of eight ministerial nominees to the senate for confirmation.

According to a letter from the president read on the floor of the senate by David Mark, president of the senate, the ministerial nominees‎ are Patricia Akwashiki (Nasarawa), Augustine Akobundu (Abia state), Fidelis Nwankwo (Ebonyi), Hauwa’u Lawan (Jigawa), Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos), Kenneth Kobani (Rivers) and Joel Danlami Ikenya (Taraba).

In October 2014, seven portfolios became vacant following the resignation of some ministers in pursuit of political ambitions.

The ministers were Labaran Maku (information), Samuel Ortom (trade and industry), Nyesom Wike (state for education), Musiliu Obanikoro (state for defence).

Others were Emeka Wogu (labour), Onyebuchi Chukwu (health), and Dairus Ishaku (state for Niger Delta).

However, only Musiliu Obanikoro, who lost the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos to Jimi Agbaje, made the list of new nominees.

Jonathan included the name of Obanikoro to pacify him and avoid a crack in the state chapter of the party because Koro, as he is popularly called, alleged that the primary election was rigged in favour of Agbaje and instituted a suit challenging his loss.

Wike emerged the most fortunate of the colleagues, as he won the Rivers state PDP governorship ticket.

Ortom defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he is the party’s flagbearer in Benue, while Maku is the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Nasarawa.