Fagbemi, Logun, Kunle Sulyman top list of new considerations
By Mumini AbdulKareem
There is palpable anxiety among party chieftains and stakeholders of the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following feelers that Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman has concluded arrangement to announce the appointments for positions of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chief of Staff (CoS), among other top portfolios in his cabinet this week, National Pilot learnt last night.
This development is coming on the heels of fresh lobbying from interested stakeholders for consideration of additional names for the vacant positions.
After his swearing-in penultimate Wednesday, Governor Abdulrazaq contrary to expectation has since failed to name his SSG, CoS and CPS among other top positions in the government, which many attributed to the intense agitation for positions by party stalwarts.
It was gathered that series of meetings have been held by leadership of the party with the governor, some of which have ended in deadlock because of the inability of interested parties to arrive at a consensus over sharing of positions.
Although top party sources told this reporter that “some progress” have been made over the matter and governor is set to announce some appointments this week, they added that “Governors Abdulrazaq’s unpredictability and tendency to keep things close to his chest” have heightened the fears of some party leaders over the issue.
According to a very reliable source who spoke on the issue, the governor has drawn out list of those to be named for the positions, but for the Sallah celebration and holidays which delayed the announcement.
“But he has now shifted it to the first or second working day after the resumption of work which is Thursday (today) or Friday (tomorrow).
Another top party source who also spoke anonymously on the matter, said the Governor is poised to announce some of the key positions this week ahead of the scheduled inauguration of the incoming 9th Kwara Assembly on Monday.
However, another insider within the Governor’s camp last night noted that the announcement of the names may likely come up next week.
Meanwhile, the names of former factional chairman of the Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Sunday Fagbemi, the chairman of the Governors 80-member Transition Committee and an alumnus of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, Aminu Adisa Logun and pioneer Kwara PDP chairman, Barrister Kunle Sulyman were additional names that were considered for affected portfolios, it was learnt last night.
Following the development, some of the new names have come under heavy social media attacks by members of the party from opposing interest camps.
Last week, a group under the aegis of Kwara Youth Patriots urged Governor to reconsider any plan to appoint Fagbemi and Sulyman into his cabinet.
In a statement issued in Ilorin by its Chairman and Secretary, Mallam Yinka Adams and Mr Saheed Adisa respectively, the group said information at its disposal indicated that Governor Abdulrazaq was considering both Fagbemi and Sulyman for appointment into sensitive positions and warned against such decision.
The inclusion of the Fagbemi, Logun and Sulyman has added to the growing list of candidate being considered for the post of SSG and CoS by the Governor.
Others include Elder Wole Oke, ex-Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Aliu Lade, onetime Head of Service (HoS), AbdulRahman Sheu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Haruna Jibril, former Commissioner for Lands and Housing and cousin to Dele Belgore, Kale Belgore, Director General, Management, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), who is a brother to serving Judge, Justice Titi Daibu, Ahmed Bolaji Nagode and a Director of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja, Yusuf Lawal who is a friend to the brother of the Governor, Alimi among others. Sources also listed the DG of the campaign team of the governor-elect, Yahaya Seriki and son of late Governor Mohammed Lawal, Hakeem Lawal.
