Compensation! PMB Plans To Give Some States In The South East More Than One Ministerial Slot

Following the uproar generated by the recent key appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidency has decided to compensate the South East region with an extra ministerial slot, Punch reports. 

The report says the presidency and the All Progressives Congress took the decision to compensate the region for not getting any appointment so far.

READ ALSO: Buhari’s One-sided Appointments Tear Northerners Apart

A chieftain of the APC said the president was well aware of the criticisms that trailed the alleged lopsided appointments he made recently, and he is working towards assuaging the feelings of those aggrieved.

He said:“The President has assured us that all zones that have not been represented in the appointments he has made so far will be compensated.

“For example, some states in the South-East may get more than one ministerial slots. The President is going to make board and ambassadorial appointments. All zones, including the South-East, will be represented in this government.”

So many Nigerians and socio-political groups, have criticised the appointments made by Buhari so far. The Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC) recently expressed deep anger and dissatisfaction with the latest appointments by the president.

While the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students,  has joined the league of those lambasting Buhari over the alleged lopsidedness in his appointments so far.

Out of 31 appointments made so far by the Buhari government, 24 of the appointees are from the North and seven are from the South. The South-East has no representation in the administration so far.

READ ALSO: SGF: I Never Complained About Buhari’s Choice – Amaechi

Rumours had been rife that the South East will clinch the slot of the secretary of the government of the federation, but Buhari reportedly settled for Babachir David Lawal, because of the high wired politics among power blocks in the APC. A presidency source disclosed that Lawal was picked because of his closeness and loyalty to the president.

The source said: “Although the President is a loyal member of the party, the levels of trust he has in the members differ. There are various blocks in the APC.

“You don’t give appointments such as chief of staff and the SGF to your rival or his loyalists; you give them to those you can vouch for. Those posts are ears and eyes of the President and they are not subjected to the party’s ratification.”

The  latest appointments confirms the existence of various power blocks in the APC. The party still have sections within that are always at loggerheads.

Recalled that the party merged last year, with Buhari leading the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu leading the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Ogbonnaya Onu-led All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), led by the Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

They were later joined by five governors and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party.

READ ALSO: Buhari Still Has A Long Way To Go With Appointments – Keyamo

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s former minister of aviation, Olufemi Olu-Kayode, has hailed the appointment of Abba Kyari as the chief of staff to Buhari.  He described Kyari as a good man and one of the brightest minds in the country.

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