Ahead of May 29 inauguration, there are indications that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has commenced the constitution of his cabinet and economic management team.
According to Politics Digest, a source close to Tinubu revealed that the president-elect has penciled down some familiar names as potential members of his cabinet.
The source disclosed that: “The president-elect knows that the expectations are high and is also aware of how impatient Nigerians can be. He does not want to fritter away his goodwill, so he wants to have his team ready by May 29. He wants to have the names of those who will form his cabinet as well as members of his economic management team ready ahead of the inauguration.”
The source also revealed that while Tinubu would like to pick his cabinet from members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he doesn’t mind looking outside the party to equally pick capable people that can help him actualise his ‘renewed hope’ agenda.
According to the source, part of those who are being considered into the cabinet are Kano State governor, Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje; Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike; former Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), Professor Peter Okebukola; and a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Others are 2023 APC gubernatorial candidate in Adamawa State, Senator Aisha Benani; a Professor of Energy/Electricity Law, Yemi Oke; a lawyer and former member Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Babatunde Ogala; a former Lagos State commissioner for finance, Mr Wale Edun; a director at Oando Plc, Mr Mofe Boyo; a financial expert and management consultant, Mr Ayo Abina; co-founder of Flutterwave, Mr Iyin Aboyeji; APC National Youth Leader, Mr Dayo Israel; a former presidential aspirant, Mrs Uju Ohanenye; and a former Executive Secretary and CEO of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Ms Yewande Sadiku.
While the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, is said to be considered to be Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, according to the source, Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje is being considered for the position of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, while Wike is likely going to emerge as Interior Minister, and Fayemi as Foreign Affairs minister.
Also the source further revealed that others are Professor Okebukola as education minister, and Ribadu as Police Affairs minister.
Ogala, he said, is being considered for Attorney General of the Federation while Mr Edun is being considered as the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, while Mr Ayo Abina is being tipped to be the Minister of State for National Planning.
Ms Yewande Sadiku is likely to emerge as Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment while Senator Aisha Benani is being considered for the Minister of Power and Mr Mofe Boyo may likely be named as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
However, the source said those who would not be appointed into the president-elect’s cabinet out of those mentioned, would make it into Economic Management Team, or be picked to head critical revenue-generating agencies.
