Buhari to consult APC leaders over his next cabinet

President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly going to consult All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders across the 36 states in constituting his next cabinet.

The President is reportedly willing to work the party leaders at both the national and state levels in other to carry everyone along in his list of appointments, The Nation reports.

A source who spoke to The Nation said, “the leadership of the party is expecting to hear from Mr. President very soon on how it can contribute to the cabinet nomination process. And once that is gotten, all necessary arms of the party that should be involved will be carried along.”

A state chairman of the ruling party also confirmed the development that the party is expecting to play a significant role in the emergence of the next cabinet.

“The President has said he will work with the party and we believe him.”

“I and my colleagues have been told to be patient and await information on how those that will represent our states in the next Federal Executive Council would be selected,” the anonymous party chairman said.

President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly more interesting in consulting party leaders than state governors to form his cabinet. (Premium Times) Pulse Nigeria

The source however debunked the rumour about purported names on the president’s list of next cabinet.

“Those throwing around names are merely expressing their wishes as far as I am concerned,” he said.

“I can tell you that nobody has asked for nomination from our state as being speculated. Not even our governor has been contacted on the cabinet issue yet. I can say this because our governor is new and he has been working hand in hand with the party since he was elected.

“I am in touch with my colleagues in other states and the situation is still that we are to await directive on the matter.

“We are very sure discussions are ongoing with the party and our leaders. There is no way that will not happen because the President ,as a democrat, has shown severally that he believes strongly in the supremacy of the party. Coupled with the assurances from our leaders that the party will not be side-tracked in major decisions, we are optimistic.”

The Nation also reports that some of the President’s ex-ministers have been lobbying party officials and leaders to be re-nominated into the cabinet.

This according to the Nation is connected with feelers that President Buhari is interested in working with party leaders and not state governors this time.

The source said, “We now have many of them showing interest in what we are doing at the state level of the party. Something they didn’t do in previous years when they were ministers. They have also become regular guests of some of our leaders here in the state. We suspect that they are doing this because they see the possibility of the President requesting the party to contribute to the nomination process. But whatever it is, it is for the good of the party,” our source added.

Meanwhile, Pulse reported on Saturday, June 15, 2019, that the President may consider APC governors who failed in their re-election bid following a resolution by the ruling party that such governors should be included in the president’s next cabinet.

This party decision however put former Governor of Lagos Adamawa and Bauchi states, Akinwunmi Ambode, Mohammed Bindow and Mohammed Abubakar, in pole position to make the list of the president’s next cabinet members.