SSS begins screening of ministerial nominees

Tureta, Balat make list
The State Security Service (SSS) has commenced the screening of nominees to fill the vacancies created by the sack of 10 ministers by President Goodluck Jonathan, Weekly Trust learnt authoritatively last night.
Already, Senator Isaiah Balat, presently an aide to the Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, and Muhammad Arzika Tureta, currently commissioner of Agric in Sokoto State, have gone through the SSS screening. After the screening, the names of the nominees will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration and confirmation.
A source in the presidency also informed Weekly Trust that Adamu Ahmed Abdulkadir, former national chairman of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and adviser to Obasanjo, from Gombe is also likely to make the list.
“Among the factors at play in the list of prospective ministers is the calculation for 2015, the politics of the New PDP and balancing act among senatorial zones across some states,” the presidency source added.
The presence of Tureta on the list indicates that President Jonathan might have reached out to Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, who is one of the governors in the new PDP faction headed by Abubakar Kawu Baraje. Other governors in the new PDP fold are Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara.
Baraje had alleged that the ministers sacked by President Jonathan were shown the way out because of their perceived sympathy to the rival PDP group.
Meanwhile, it was also learnt that former Adamawa State governor Boni Haruna, former minister of state for foreign affairs Aliyu Idi Hong and Jonathan’s political adviser Ahmed Gulak are angling for the North East slot vacated by former Minister of state for Health Mohammed Ali Pate in July this year.
Those opposed to Boni say he has EFCC case and should not be nominated even though he has never been convicted. Dr. Hong is believed to have the backing of Bamanga Tukur and Prof Jibril Aminu and some say he is the best person who could checkmate the Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako.
Gulak is a Villa insider and a serving adviser to the president. Abdulkadir is also said to be among those wanting to fill the North East slot.
From Niger State, former Governor Abdulkadir Kure might make the list from his state just like former Speaker of the House of Representatives Ghali Umar Na’Abba is mentioned as possible nominee from Kano.
Others said to be considered for the ministerial posts include a member of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and one time MD of the defunct African Petroleum, Alhaji Abba Gana.
A Presidency source told Weekly Trust that because of last minute changes occasioned by pressure from influential quarters and changing calculations and alliances, a meeting of between President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki fixed for Monday, 4th November 2013 is expected to finalize matters relating to the ministerial replacement and the stalemated ASUU strike.
Weekly Trust reports that nine ministers were sacked by President Jonathan in September and one in August. Those affected were: the Minister for National Planning Dr. Shamsudeen Usman (Kano); Minister of State for Defence Erelu Olusola Obada (Osun); Minister of State for Power Zainab Kuchi (Niger); Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru (Ogun); Minister of Education Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I (Jigawa); Minister of Environment Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia (Kaduna); Minister of State for Agriculture Alhaji Bukar Tijani Borno (Borno); Minister of Housing and Urban Development Amma Pepple (Rivers) and the Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Ita Okon Bassey Ewa (Akwa Ibom). Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir (Sokoto) was earlier sacked as Youths Minister in August.

Weekly trust