New Ministers: Bayelsa, Seven Other States to Wait *How TNN’s Projection Came To Pass * Ayade Excluded As Earlier Predicted
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Projections by TNN, your authoritative Niger Delta newspaper, on the likely nominees for ministerial positions have come to pass. The special report was published three weeks ago, where it was stated that the likes of Senator John Owan Enoh, Dr Betta Edu, Chief Nyesom Wike and Obong Ekperikpe Ekpo would make the list.
Owan Enoh, Wike, Ekpo May Make Tinubu’s Ministerial List • Amgbare May Fight For Bayelsa Slot
On Thursday when the senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio announced the list as submitted by the president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the names predicted by TNN were among. Also as predicted, the immediate past governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade was excluded from the list.
This is even as it has become clear that nominees from Bayelsa state as well as seven other states would have to wait for sometime. TNN learnt that power play may have been responsible for the delay in the inclusion of a nominee from Bayelsa.
Just recently, a group of individuals from the state chapter of the APC which called itself Bayelsa APC Elders had written a petition to the president, urging him not to consider the candidate recommended by former president Goodluck Jonathan.
It is not clear who Jonathan recommended. It is also not clear if the petition actually affected Tinubu’s decision to leave out nominees from the state. But sources said there have been so much bickering because of the appointment.
While some people believe that the ministerial nominee should come from the core Ijaw speaking part of the state, and from the central senatorial district, others believe that the appointment should go to the western part.
A former governor from a neighbouring state was said to be working to assist one of the APC leaders in the state to clinch the position. But there have been an outcry by people who are opposed to the emergence of a minister from that part of the state, especially as they believe that the minister ought to come from the Yenagoa or Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government.
Among those in contention from Bayelsa are chief Diekivie Ikiogha, Chief Timi Alaibe, Chief Timi Amgbare, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and Peremobowei Ebebi. One of them is likely to have the top job at the end of the day.
