President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made it clear that he has an interest in Rivers, Kano and Lagos states and would like to personally choose ministerial nominees from the three states. He has therefore told relevant state governors and leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in those areas to keep off, according to a Vanguard report.

“The Vice President, Kashim Shettima is said to have been given the leeway to nominate ministers from the North-East,” said the report published earlier today and quoting “a highly placed source”.

“It was gathered that the President had given the APC governors the privilege to submit three names from their states including technocrats from which he would select one out of the three,” the report further said, adding that the party leaders “were told to identify competent persons that would help drive the agenda of the government.”

“It was, however, gathered that in the case of Rivers State, the party leaders are divided as the majority of them have reportedly opposed the purported nomination of former governor, Nyesom Wike.

“Those opposed Wike, it was gathered, have officially written to President Tinubu, while some loyal party members who worked hard for APC victory, have threatened to dump the party should the President abandon those that laboured to ensure that the party existed in the state despite what they described as the hostile environment created by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP),” Vanguard reported.

It quoted multiple sources as disclosing that “the President has persuaded party members to remain calm and has assured that those that will not make the ministerial list will be accommodated through other appointments.

The President is under obligation, based on constitutional provision, to forward the list of ministerial nominees to the Senate within 60 days of his inauguration for screening and confirmation.

With only three days to the expiration of the 60-day window, “a reliable source, who is privy to the anxiety the delay in releasing the list of the ministerial nominees has caused, hinted that the President will meet the constitutional provision and would likely make the list available to the Senate on Tuesday.”

“I can assure you that the list is still with the President and is likely going to be submitted on Tuesday. Rest, assured that immediately the Senate receives it on Tuesday, it will screen the list and confirm it between Wednesday and Thursday,” the paper quoted a source as saying.