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Obanikoro,
Maku, Wike (Credit: The Nation)
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Seven
ministers are leaving the cabinet to run for the position of State Governors.
A
political analyst tells GRAPHITTI NEWS it is all part of a grand political
design, to ensure the States involved are returned to the ruling party. He said
it is immaterial that the Presidential election comes ahead of the gubernatorial
elections.
The
Nation reported that President Goodluck Jonathan led the Federal Executive
Council (FEC) to thank the ministers who are expected to quit before or on
Monday. Serving ministers leaving
their posts include Labaran Maku (Information), Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (Health), Nyesom Wike
(Education) and Emeka Wogu (Labour). Others
are Minister of State for Trade and Investment Samuel Ortom, Minister of State
for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro and Minister of State for Niger Delta Darius
Ishaku
The
President noted that they had not officially resigned as they were yet to send
their letters of resignation to the Office of the Secretary to the Government
of the Federation.
According
to him, those resigning have up till October 20 to make their intentions known. He
said: “If you are a public officer or you are a civil servant, if you have to
go into an elective office you have to disengage on or before 20th of this
month.
“Going
by that, that means that any of our colleagues who has the interest to contest
any level of election may not be with us the next council day, that is next
Wednesday.”
“I
think people may want to know what is the fate of XYZ. But I want to make it
very clear that as at this morning, about seven members of council may, and I
use the word ‘may’ because you don’t conclude anything in politics until… so
seven of us may not be here next Wednesday, if their plans continue.”
Continuing,
he said: “But we may not say they are not with us until they write to us
through the secretary of government. As we are talking, nobody has written and
we have not dropped anybody. People should not say we have dropped ministers;
no. We have not dropped ministers; they are still ministers of council, but
assuming between now and next council if they decide to go on with their plans,
it is only proper we wish them well assuming we don’t see them again.
“But
if they change their plans, they will continue to be with us, but after
receiving the letters and they change their minds, it will be too late. So, if
they have to change their minds they have to change their minds before sending
the letter to the secretary of the government.
“So
those that may not be with us next Wednesday are Minister of Information,
Labaran Maku, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of State
Education, Nyesom Wike, Minister of State, Industry, Trade, Investment, Samuel
Ortum, Minister of State Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Minister of State,
Niger Delta Affairs, Dairu Dickson Ishiaku, Minister of Labour and
Productivity, Emeka Wogu.”
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