No State Is Allowed To Have Three Ministers When All States Have Not Gotten Two – Kenneth Okonkwo
The spokesperson for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ministerial list, saying that the ministerial list is a breach of the Federal Character Principle Commission Act.
On Wednesday August 2, 2023, the Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, had forwarded the second list of 19 names of ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation. The President had earlier forwarded the first list to the Senate which had 28 names, and with the second 19 names, the cabinet members are now 47.
In the list, some states like Bauchi, Niger and Cross River states had more than one nominee, and the development has been generating mixed reactions among Nigerians.
A breakdown of the ministerial nominees showed that the North-West region has 10 slots, which is the highest. South-West has 9 slots, North-East has 8 slots, North-Central has 8 slots, South-South has 7 slots while South-East has the least with 5 slots.
While reacting to the list his official Twitter handle, Kenneth Okonkwo said – “The proposed ministerial list before the Senate is a blatant breach of the Federal Character Principle Commission Act. No state is allowed to have 3 ministers when all states have not gotten 2, and no geopolitical zone is allowed to have 2 more than any other geopolitical zone. The Senate should be reading the laws it made for the peace, order and good governance of Nigeria to be properly guided in its screening exercise.”
Okonkwo who is a member of Peter Obi’s legal team said that the ministerial list is a step away from democracy and the rule of law.
Richiehenshaw (
)
