Nigeria: Federal Cabinet – Diezani, Olubolade, 11 Others Screened

Henry Umoru

16 June 2011

Abuja — MANY members of the immediate past cabinet are ontheir way back to the new federal cabinet being constituted as the security screening for the ministerial nominees formally commenced yesterday.

Among those screened at the Yellow House building of the State Security Services, SSS, Asokoro Abuja, were erstwhile Minister for Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe; his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Odein Ajumogobia and that of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade.

Others screened were Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, erstwhile Minister of Petroleum and Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, erstwhile Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

Impeccable sources told Vanguard, yesterday, that the former ministers were screened at the Yellow House building. The screening which is in batches is expected to continue today.

At press time, at least 13 nominees including eleven former ministers were believed to have been screened.

At the end of the screening and baring any last minute change of mind by the President, names of those who scale the security screening would be forwarded to the Senate for approval. The Senate is currently on break and is expected to reconvene on June 28.

The source which noted that President Jonathan is determined to ensure that those who would form the new cabinet met the high expectations of Nigerians said: “Many people who had celebrated that they had made the ministerial list would be surprised when the final list comes out.

The President is, however, willing to allow as many people as possible to go for SSS screening to reduce tension and curtail last minute lobby.”

It was learnt that former ministers who had not been invited for the security screening were intensifying lobby to be accommodated in the list being compiled.

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