Ministerial List: Buhari keeps list secret from Tinubu, other APC leaders

President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari appears to be keeping the strategies he hopes to adopt in his government close to his chest as indications emerged at the weekend that the General might have concluded plans to reduce the number of ministers in his administration.
Sources close to the All Progressives Congress (APC) told the Sunday Tribune that the president-elect has kept leaders of the party in the dark as to the composition of his cabinet thus far.
About a fortnight ago, the General rejected plans by governors and governors-elect of the party to submit a list of three ministerial nominees from each state of the federation to him ahead of his inauguration.
The General was quoted as saying that the 1999 Constitution does not mandate him to receive such list from the governors and that it would also not be appropriate for him to submit list of three commissioners to the governors in each of the states.
Sources in the party said that the leaders are being kept in the dark as to the composition of the new cabinet. According to them, the General has not held any talks with the leaders on the shape of his cabinet.
A source, however, said that the president-elect was already contemplating a reduction in the number of ministers.
The current administration runs a 42-member cabinet with one minister drawn from each of the 36 states and another six representing the geopolitical zones.
It was also gathered that the president-elect has confirmed his readiness to merge some ministries and parastatal-agencies in line with the recommendations of the Steve Oronsanye report, which has been on the table of the Federal Government.
“One thing that looks certain is the General’s determination to prune down the number of ministries and parastatal-agencies. Agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) can just be ready to be the first casualties. But several others will be downgraded while some will become departments in some ministries. Others will simply be merged with relevant agencies.
“The General, so far, is keeping his strategies close to his chest. Many of our party leaders are in the dark as to the way forward,” a source close to the party said.
When asked what number of ministers the General is looking at, the source said that it was still being debated at the General’s inner circles but added that he appears to be looking at 36 ministers in fulfillment of the constitutional provision, while a number of them would be ministers of state.
Source: Tribune Newspaper