Top among them are Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim, his Nasarawa State counterpart, Akwe Doma, and the governorship candidate in Lagos State, Dr. Ade Dosunmu.
Their names were said to have been included in the ministerial nominee lists forwarded by their state chapters of the ruling party to President Goodluck Jonathan.
A source in the Presidency, who spoke with one of our correspondents on Sunday, said, “The President has received lists of ministerial nominees from the 36 PDP state chapters, but I can tell that he is not disposed to picking the defeated governors and governorship candidates as ministers. “
The source made this known just as a chieftain of the PDP hinted that Jonathan was considering offering ministerial appointments to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Dimeji Bankole, and former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi.
When asked to mention the names of the affected PDP governorship candidates, the source, pleading anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on it, said, “I can only confidently mention the lists from Lagos, Imo and Nasarawa states.”
He, however, was quick to add that the defeated governorship candidates would not be shut out completely from the government as they might be offered board appointments.
“The President does not want to shut out defeated candidates from his administration, their possibility of getting ministerial appointments is very slim. They may be considered for less visible positions like members of some boards,” the source said.
According to him, any defeated governorship candidate that will make the ministerial list must be seen to have worked very hard during elections, which he genuinely lost.
He said, “The defeated candidates can still make the list, but they must have worked very hard. There are some of them that contested election, not to win, but used the party as a platform to get appointments.
“We have realised that there are candidates that were not interested in the governorship poll right from the outset. They were only in interested in the ministerial appointments. Such candidates blocked the chances of serious contenders.”
Ohakim, had in a letter to the President after losing the governorship election to Rochas Okorocaha of the All Progressive Gran Alliance, solicited for federal appointment.
In the letter, he said, “ I offer myself for further service at that federal level if given the opportunity. Without any prejudice, I wish to remind Your Excellency that three areas I have demonstrated flair in the National Economic Council are: Oil & Gas; Police Reforms and Urban Development and Renewal.”
Besides the defeated candidates, investigations showed that PDP chieftains who through their actions, contributed to the defeat of the party would not be made ministers.
“The headquarters of the PDP is aware that the party lost in some states because of the greediness of some party chieftains. Such people will not be compensated with ministerial appointments, if their names crop in any state list,” said a national officer of the party, who pleaded anonymity.
Investigations revealed that Jonathan was unhappy with the crises in some PDP state chapters over nominations for ministerial appointments.
It was learnt that the President was particularly sad about crises in Lagos, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti state chapters of the PDP over the scramble for ministerial appointments.
He was also said to have rejected the lists compiled by the rival factions of the Lagos PDP led by an ex-convict, Chief Bode George and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe.
The lists are believed to have included a recently retired Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Layi Ogunbanmbi, and the party’s secretary in the state, Mr. Tunji Shelle.
The President, who is said to be favourably disposed to the efforts of a group within the party, the PDP Neutral Group in Lagos, insisted that members must put their house in order.
It was gathered that in Osun State, chances of the state former governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, were very slim.
The state PDP has been enmeshed in a crisis over ministerial appointments as three lists emanated from the state.
Each of the lists were compiled by Oyinlola; PDP elders led by Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun and the state Commissioner for Youth Development, Senator Olasunkami Akinlabi.
Investigations further revealed that the former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, might suffer the same fate as Oyinlola.
The Ondo State PDP had early this month suspended the Minister of Defence, Chief Adetokunbo Kayode, over alleged anti-party activities. But last week, another faction of the party loyal to Kayode suspended Agagu.
It was gathered that the President was also not happy with the problems in Ondo PDP. The crisis, our correspondents learnt might cost Agagu and Kayode ministerial appointments.
Our correspondents also gathered from a top PDP member that Dimeji Bankole and Senator Makarfi might be considered for ministerial appointments.
Investigations however showed that the President might have a change of heart in the case of Bankole because of the controversy trailing the N10b loan his leadership secured from a commercial bank without the knowledge of majority of the members of the House.
Apart from this, it was also learnt that the speaker might find it difficult to get security clearance because of this (loan).
Makarfi, who is a former governor of Kaduna State, was said to have attracted the attention of the President because of the role he played during the governorship election in his state.
Though the former governor lost his re-election to return to the Senate, Jonathan was said to have been pleased with him for supporting the PDP even when he had problems with the state government.
By Niyi Odebode, Olusola Fabiyi and Mudiaga Affe Courtesy Of: Punch
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