Expectations on the ministerial list have heightened as President Bola Tinubu clocks over 40 days in office.
By law, Tinubu is required to name his cabinet within 60 days after taking the oath of office on May 29 and transmits it to the Senate for confirmation.
With less than 18 days to submit his cabinet list to the National Assembly as recommended by the constitution, lawmakers and other Nigerians are anxiously waiting for the list of ministers who would help to deliver the President’s renewed hope agenda.
Multiple NASS Assembly sources said the federal parliament was awaiting Tinubu’s ministerial list, with some expressing worry over the delay.
The lawmakers, who chose to speak on condition of anonymity to avoid possible backlash, said they did not expect a further delay in the list.
Meanwhile, The PUNCH confirmed on Sunday evening that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Department of State Services, and some security agencies were on the verge of completing their mandatory checks on the list.
It was gathered that the Department of State Services and members of the Presidential Strategic Team were running final checks on the people who had been listed as possible ministers.
Multiple Presidency sources said the list would be released very soon.
Meanwhile, Hon. Alex Egbona, Deputy chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) in 9th Assembly, said that the President was still within the timeframe, unlike before when there were delays.
He hopes that the president will submit this Tuesday or upper Tuesday.
Also, Hon Ugochinyere Ikenga, a member of the House of Representatives from Imo State, said Nigerians were worried but believed that the President would send the list soon.
He also said he believed it would not be like the past when ministers were appointed after six months.
Meanwhile, a former Chief of Staff to the former Imo Gov. Rochas Okorocha, Mr Uche Nwosu, has advised President Bola Tinubu, to ensure that his ministerial list is made up of 60 per cent of technocrats from the private sector and 40 per cent of politicians.
He gave this advice during a virtual news conference on Sunday in Abuja. He noted that this would ensure a productive and vibrant cabinet.
He said, “What I expect from Mr President is to ensure the nominees are people that have competence, character, patriotic, with no atom of nepotism.”
Nwosu added, “We believe that we would have ministers who will represent Nigeria and not ministers who are coming to say they are ministers representing their states.”
He further stated that Nigeria has many competent individuals residing in the country that could serve as ministers, but those in Diaspora could also make the list.
He said, “We have a lot of competent Nigerians residing in Nigeria that can do the work of a minister in different fields and there is nothing wrong in having a former governor occupy a ministerial post if he has done well.
“I don’t see anything wrong in that, and also if Mr President wishes to add people in the Diaspora to his ministerial list, there is nothing wrong in that also.”
(PUNCH)
