Buhari’s Cabinet: North Appears Unrelenting In Its Bid To Sweep Major Ministerial Positions

Following a good showing in the series of appointments made so far by President Muhammadu Buhari, the North appears unrelenting in its bid to sweep the major ministerial positions considered as key to the development of the North.

Sources in the polity told the Sunday Tribune that Buhari has received pats on the back for what was considered “commendable” appointments made so far, which have completely placed the North in the driver’s seat of the Nigerian Presidency.

Regions of the North have so far dominated the Principal Offices in the Villa, a departure from the past when positions were largely shared along geopolitical lines.

Though the Presidency said on Friday that it would ensure balance in future appointments, it was gathered that the Northern establishment is unrelenting in its quest for ministries considered as key to the control of power.

It was gathered that messages have been communicated to Buhari that key ministries, including Defence, Agriculture, Finance, Works, FCT and Petroleum are to be zoned to the North.

It was gathered that a delegation of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) had already met with the president to convey the desire to him.

Sunday Tribune also gathered that despite the assurances that the government would balance future appointments, there is actually no way to balance anymore as the remaining appointments are guided by statutes.

For instance, a source said that the ministers can only be appointed on a one-per-state basis in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

It was also gathered that the ‘Ambassadorial List’ will also emerge according to the states of the federation, with sources noting that no state can be shortchanged in the appointments of Ambassadors and Ministers.

“When the government says it will balance future appointments, you have to take that with a pinch of salt. There is virtually no way the appointments can be balanced anymore.

“The North already has 20 positions more than the South. Are you saying you will stop appointing Northerners? The positions that remain now have to do with the constitution. You must pick Career Ambassadors from states of the federation in equal numbers, because that is also the way they were recruited into the service. You can’t deny some states Ambassadors because you are looking for balance. The promise is simply a political statement,” a source in the know said.

Meanwhile, sources have told the Sunday Tribune that former President Goodluck Jonathan was seen as having offended the North in two critical areas, one of which was his decision to move the Ministry of Agriculture from the North.

It was also said that the former president’s other offence was his decision to cancel the 2010 oil bid round planned by the power cabal under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

While Yar’Adua was already indisposed, the cabal that ran power in his absence had scheduled oil bid round for March 2010, a situation said to have been planned to ensure top Northerners take control of more oil wells. But on assumption of office on February 9, 2010, following the invocation of the Doctrine of Necessity, Jonathan cancelled the planned oil bid round, a development seen as having denied a number of Northerners oil wells.

The government had then placed most of the oil wells under management contractors.