Ministerial Nominees: Ibori’s candidate in the eyes of the storm

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

Findings have shown that former Governor of Delta State, Mr James Ibori has nominated Mofe Boyo for the Delta state ministerial slot in the yet to be constituted cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It was reliably learnt that Boyo, who is a player in the oil industry, was nominated by Ibori because of his business partnership with Wale Tinubu and others in OANDO oil company.

Ibori, who it was learnt, is not on the ministerial list of President Tinubu, because of his past issues, is seeking presidential pardon to enable him contest for Senate in 2027.

As an oil player, the calculation in some quarters is to either make Boyo a Minister of State for Petroleum or appoint him the General Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Appointing Boyo as Minister, it was gathered, will automatically make him a regulator in the oil industry.

However, the issue of clash of interests when a regulated entity becomes the regulator, according to investigations, is a worrisome matter to Nigerians and the international community.

The Emefiele’s conundrum, for instance, it was argued, is an example.

It is believed that a repeat of such in the oil industry will not augur well for Tunubu’s administration

It was reliably learnt that because of this prevailing arguments, the International Oil Companies (IOCs) rejected his nomination in 2019 during President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

“As it stands today, the ministerial nomination in Delta state is still fluid, as a nominee has not emerged, whatever is happening now is still in the realm of rumor. The Delta nominee, it was learn will be a very big surprise to everybody, as some people with sense of entitlement will be disappointed”, a competent source volunteered.

Continuing, the source said, “With all the moves and counter-moves in the state and the presidency, Ibori’s plot is to take over the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in Delta state, just like he did in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, until Ifeanyi Okowa came on board and change the narrative.

“Ibori’s projection at the moment is to groom David Edevie for governorship to wrestle power from Ifeanyi Okowa’s man in 2027.

“Ibori understands that if Ovie Omo-Agege becomes a Minister or governor, he will be a strong force in the Delta politics, this will distabilize his plan, hence his plot to have a total grip in Delta through the presidency. Tentatively, Ibori has dropped Omo-Agege from his list of loyalists”, he stated.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the 65 years and above is not welcomed in President Tinubu’s cabinet because his focus is to have vibrant cabinet and also to have people, who will assist him in the next election, all things be equal.

He is majorly looking for tecnocrats, who will help him to achieve his agenda of fixing the nation and putting it on the path of development. Technocrat, whose focus is to develop the nation to an enviable height and help him to gain favour in the eyes of Nigerians through their input.

As an astute politician, whose major interest is to rebuild the nation through appointing technocrats, who will assist him in creating wealth for the nation, Tinubu knows the importance of seasoned politicians in his cabinet as this will assist him to a great extent in re-energizing his winning capacity and capability in 2027.

Balancing the cabinet between tecnocrats and seasoned politicians, it was learnt, is very important for Tinubu to achieve his goals and objectives of putting the nation on the right track.

It will not be far fetched to say that technocrats are important in an emerging society. This may have been the reason Dangote and Bill Gate brought Pate to Tinubu to make him the Minister of Health in his cabinet.