Buhari’s Cabinet: Prof Oba, Moshood Mustapha, Gbemi, Gobir, Oyedepo, others lobby for Kwara ministerial slot

By Mumini AbdulKareem

Ahead of the expected dissolution of the present cabinet by President Muhammadu Buhari, intense lobby has commenced back home in Kwara State among the leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), over who will be appointed to fill the state’s slot, National Pilot reliably gathered, last night.
According to findings by this reporter, many of the party’s gubernatorial aspirants and chieftains across the three sensational districts have been making concerted efforts to be included in the imminent cabinet.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is occupying the lone ministerial slot of Kwara State but top sources in the party who confided in this reporter said he may not be reappointed by President Buhari.
It was not clear whether the President who has vowed to intensify his anti-corruption fight in his second term will use the current travail of the minister over his alleged role in the N2.5bn National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fraud to stop Lai Mohammed.
Reliable sources within the party who confirmed the development last night told our reporter that many leaders of the various groups within the APC have frequented Abuja in the last few weeks to lobby the president and top party leaders at the national level.
Top among the party leaders said to be seriously interested in the position, it was gathered are former chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Prof Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, former member of the House of Representatives for Ilorin West/Asa, Hon Moshood Mustapha, one time minister of Transports, Bio Ibrahim and former APC gubernatorial aspirant, Alhaji Soliu Mustapha.
Others include former governorship running mate of the PDP during 2015 election, Yinka Aluko, Senator Gbemisola Saraki and former gubernatorial aspirant, Yakubu Gobir and former chairman of the PDP, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo and pioneer PDP chairman in the state, Barr. Kunle Suleiman.
An aide to one of the party leaders from Kwara Central said his principal has done the necessary homework to be considered by the President adding that they are trusting Allah for the rest.
President Buhari, few days ago asked the ministers and agency heads to turn in their handover notes latest yesterday (Wednesday) fueling widespread insinuation that he may dissolve the Federal Executive Council (FEC) earlier than the May 29 terminal date of his first term in office.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Wednesday, said the President asked his appointees to come up with a comprehensive status reports on policies, programmes and projects of their respective ministries, departments and agencies.
Based on the President’s directive, ministries have started directing agencies and parastatals under their supervision to equally submit their handover notes.