…ministerial list will be ready within a month – Alake
As predicted by reliable sources, the President, Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after trips to Paris where he attended the Financial Pact Summit and London.
He arrived at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos around 5:05 pm.
He was welcomed by a sea of dancing supporters who have been waiting for hours for his return.
He returned to his private Ikoyi home in Lagos to observe his first Sallah celebration as President.
Sources say that he is billed to join other dignitaries for the Eid prayers at the Obalende Muslim Prayer ground located at Dodan Barracks, the former seat of the Nigerian government.
It would be recalled that hours before the end of his tenure, former President Muhammadu Buhari directed that the control of Obalende Eid Prayer Ground be returned to the Lagos Jama’atul Muslimeen Council of the Lagos Central Mosque.
A Presidency source said although “the holiday lasts until Thursday, Tinubu may extend his stay till Sunday or Monday next week before he returns to Abuja.”
Another source, who spoke on anonymity said, “I learned that Tinubu’s ministerial list is almost done. He kept a core of ministers to himself, heavily influenced by the kitchen cabinet of SAs.
“The politicians are in ‘Bolekaja’ over the rest. It’s a slugfest now.”
In March, Alake, then Special Adviser to the President-elect, said Tinubu would constitute his cabinet within one month of assuming office.
Alake said this is in line with the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, mandating Presidents-elect and governors-elect to submit the names of their ministerial and commissioner-nominees within 60 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or state House of Assembly.
He said, “I told you in an earlier interview that it didn’t take Asiwaju more than three weeks to form his cabinet as governor.
“That was as at that time. I think 60 days is even too much.
“A month, maximum, is enough for any serious government to form its cabinet and put a structure of government in place after the swearing-in.”
Re-echoing the narrative, the then Director of Media and Publicity for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, said, “What I can assure you is that even if the list is not ready on the first day, it will not take Asiwaju more than one month to put his cabinet together. He definitely will not wait for 60 days to assemble a competent cabinet.”
In 2015, Nigerians lamented the delay by the Buhari administration in appointing ministers, which took about six months to form its cabinet.
