A few days after President Goodluck Jonathan forwarded two names to the Senate as ministerial nominees, facts have emerged on why immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, lost out in the appointment.

Jonathan had last Thursday nominated Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka (Anambra) and Dr. Suleiman Abubukar (Kwara) as ministers representing their states in the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Chidoka is expected to be confirmed Minister of Aviation, while Abubakar would become Minister of Sports.

Sources close to the Presidency told Daily Sun that Obi, who was reportedly tipped to be appointed Minister of Aviation, to replace Princess Stella Oduah, who is also from Anambra State, lost out owing to stiff opposition from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Anambra State. He also lost out for refusing to join PDP, as suggested by the Presidency and others.

It was gathered that stakeholders in Anambra PDP vehemently opposed the plan to nominate Obi as minister representing the state, saying a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) should not represent them.

Daily Sun learnt that apart from opposing Obi based on his party membership, those against him also used all manner of argument to discourage President Jonathan, especially telling him how non-appointment of the PDP members into key positions was affecting the fortunes of the party in Anambra State during elections.

They were said to have used subtle threat to remind Jonathan that the people opposing Obi were those who would contribute meaningfully to his re-election programme.

In the midst of opposition, it was gathered that supporters of Obi, in the PDP, had written to Jonathan saying the former governor’s appointment had the blessing of the Anambra PDP.

They argued that their support for Obi was owing to his popularity in Anambra, stating that in Jonathan’s re-election campaign, the former governor would be more useful.

The PDP members pushing Obi’s nomination stated: “He is at home with the common people, the church and market people, the critical mass that actually vote during election.”

Sources revealed that President Jonathan had stuck to his guns to appoint Obi. To douse the opposition, the Presidency had asked the former governor to join the PDP.

“He (Obi) was actually in the Villa on this. At this point, everybody that wanted him pleaded with him to join the PDP rather than allow the opposition have a field day,” our source revealed.

•Text courtesy of Daily Sun. Photo shows Peter Obi.

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