Today's Headlines:El-Rufai withdraws interest in ministerial appointment, recommends replacement; Shaibu Joins APC Next Week, to be received by party’s NWC

El-Rufai withdraws interest in ministerial appointment, recommends replacement

Photo Credit:Premium Times

A former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has withdrawn his interest in being part of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, PREMIUM TIMES can exclusively report.

Presidency sources said Mr El-Rufai told President Tinubu at a meeting on Tuesday that he was no longer interested in becoming a minister but would continue to contribute his quota to the development of Nigeria as a private citizen.

“He also told the president that he needed time to focus on his doctorate programme at a university in The Netherlands,” one of our sources said.

Another insider also told this medium that the former governor suggested a new ministerial nominee — Jafaru Ibrahim Sani — for Kaduna State, saying the President would find him very useful and resourceful.

Mr Sani served as commissioner in three ministries in Kaduna State (Local Government Education and Environment) while Mr El-Rufai was governor.

Mr El-Rufai visited the President at the presidential villa a day after the Senate confirmed 45 ministerial nominees after a week-long screening of 48 of them.

The upper legislative chamber, however, withheld his confirmation and those of two others, citing security reports from the State Security Service for the action.

Shaibu Joins APC Next Week, to be received by party’s NWC

Photo Credit:The Sun papers

Strong indications emerged, yesterday, that the embattled Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, may rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC) next week, barring any last minutes change of mind.

A high-ranking member of the APC confirmed that talks on his defection had been concluded and he would be received into the party early next week by the APC National Working Committee (NWC).

“It has been confirmed. We have it on good authority that the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has concluded plans to join the APC. He is to be received along a few of his supporters into the party early next week by the National Working Committee of the party. Shaibu has been in talks with the state and national leadership of the party even before the feud between him and the governor went public and has been negotiating his way back into the party. The deputy governor has now perfected his defection to the party and we are glad and ready to receive him into our folds. It is no longer if but when the defection would come. I can tell you that all plans have been finalised

The defection would end months of speculations on his future with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Photo Credit:Google

Tinubu Unfair To South East–Ohanaeze

Photo Credit:The Sun papers

Apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the number of ministerial nominees allotted to the South East region.

It noted that while other regions have nine and 10 ministers, the South East region has only five.

In a statement issued yesterday in Enugu, the President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said the president has not treated Ndigbo fairly in his appointments.

Part of the statement reads “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo feels that it is unfair and unjust. The Ohanaeze Ndigbo believes in one united Nigeria and this can only be achieved in an atmosphere of fairness, justice and equity. We therefore demand justice, fairness and equity for every ethnic group in Nigeria including the Igbo.

“Recall that the states and geopolitical zones were created by the military administrations. All honest Nigerians know that the Igbo did not play much part during this exercise. As a result, the South East was shortchanged with five (5) states while other zones have minimum of six (6) states.

“This situation has placed the South East in a very difficult position, politically, economically, and socially. Our political power has been reduced as we have a few senators and also in the House of Representatives; governors, house of assembly and local governments.

Atiku’s Media Adviser Loses mother

Photo Credit:The Sun papers

The family of Lolo Grace Akwuogu Ibe (nee Ogu) has announced her passage at the age of 86.

She died on Wednesday in Amazi, Umunakanu Ama, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

In s statement, the family said: “Our mother went to bed on Tuesday but did not make it the next day. She died peacefully in her sleep. Her last wish was that we should not shed any tears for her. That may be a difficult task to accomplish but we have aligned with her last wishes. Mama lived a life that was marked by impact. As a devout Christian and practicing Catholic, she made the love of God, her family and other people the central theme of her life. She was generous to a fault earning the sobriquet of ‘Mother-General.’ Mama, not having the privilege of a formal education, contributed immensely to the education of her children, grandchildren and relatives.”

She is survived by children and grandchildren among them Mazi Paul Ibe, media adviser to former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and coordinator of the Atiku Media Office.

Burial arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.

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