How Governors Are Trying To Influence Buhari’s Ministerial Appointments

Some governors are working hard to have a say in who becomes a minister (s) from their states.

In 2015, governors did not have influence in the selection of ministers following the resolve of President Muhammadu Buhari to keep the processes of the selection to himself.

However, it was gathered some governors met with the president last week after his return from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) before he travelled to the United Kingdom (UK).

An aide to one of the governors told Daily Trust that at least one governor each from five geopolitical zones except the South-South, attended the meeting.

He, however, said it did not mean the zone was not carried along in the discussions. He said two of the governors recently won re-election.

“I can tell you that the governors were divided into three camps, hence the reason they didn’t meet the president on the platform of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

“Their argument when they met the president was on the need for synergy…A kind of an opportunity for them (APC governors that won re-election and those who won for the first time) to give their input on who should be picked for the ministerial appointment,” he said.

The source added that “this did not go down well with some governors, including two who lost their bids to go to the Senate.”

He said some of the governors who called themselves “like minds”, including his principal, later met on another platform and selected six of them to meet the president.

It was gathered that although the president thanked the delegation for its concern to get the best for his second tenure, he allegedly told them that he was not expecting any of them to tell him who he should re-appoint.

He also told them that he was still consulting to get the best hands irrespective of party affiliation.

When asked what the governors planned to do afterwards, the source said the like minds were expected to meet on Tuesday or Thursday in Abuja.