It is no longer news that President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of his second batch of ministerial nominees to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. What may be news is that none of those whose names were touted after the release of the first batch made it.
The new list submitted yesterday, October 12, around 4pm, for vetting by Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, parades a totally new set of people; names that never cropped up all through the waiting game, we were told.
According to what we heard, those whose names were submitted today include James Ocholi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and APC guber contestant in Kogi State; Heineken Lokpobiri, a former Senator and one time Speaker, Bayelsa House of Assembly; Claudius Daramola, a professor of sociology; Okechukwu Enalamah, CEO of African Capital Alliance; Dan Ali, a retired Brigadier General; Anthony Onwuka, a professor and erstwhile Secretary to the Government of Imo State and Isaac Adewole, again a professor, but of obstetrics and gynecology.
With the new list, what it means is that the likes of Femi Falana, SAN, Wale Edun, Bimbo Cardoso, etc whose names hugged the front pages of newspapers and equally ruled on the social media may have lost out. Or may be rewarded with non-ministerial positions as days, weeks, months and even years unfold and unfurl.
Meanwhile, the names will be officially announced in the Senate today by Saraki. And afterwards their screening, which the Senate has told Nigerians is going to be thorough, will follow. YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine will be updating you as this happens.