President Tinubu, who assumed office on May 29, 2023, has less than two days to unveil Ministerial nominees for his cabinet in line with the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.
The Leader of the Senate, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed that the long-awaited Ministerial list will be sent to the Senate within the next forty-eight (48) hours.
According to Senator Bamidele, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally informed him of this development, when he called to extend birthday greetings around 10:03 am this morning. He added that due to the impending communication that needed to be submitted to the Senate, Tinubu expressed regret for being unable to attend the birthday lecture.
Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, expressed his concern about the recurring trend of newly-elected Governors engaging in conflicts with their predecessors upon assuming office.
Both Senators were speaking at the 60th Birthday Anniversary Lecture and Book Presentation in honour of the Senate Majority Leader in Abuja.
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Senator Akpabio praised Bamidele for his unwavering loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a relationship he noted spans over thirty (30) years, during Bamidele’s time as an aide to Tinubu in the National Assembly in 1992.
He further expressed concerns about the confrontational attitude displayed by many governors towards their predecessors, citing examples of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Adamu Ailero, and others, except for the Governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebamiji, who has not engaged in such disputes.
He remarked, “The Governor of Ekiti State is a great example of what leadership should be; he has remained steadfast. As a Governor, the moment you hand over power to your successor, he will turn on you, either his taste will change or attitude.
“There is no governor in Nigeria that has no problem with their predecessor, except for Ekiti governor. That is why we have to celebrate Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele for the kind of person he is.”
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On his part, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, emphasised the need for political officeholders to reduce the number of vehicles in their convoys to show empathy towards the Nigerian people during this season of hardship.
Ogundipe posited that agencies like the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) should not be part of the convoy of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, when the police are already present.
On the issue of insecurity in Nigeria, Prof. Ogundipe acknowledged that insecurity is a global problem, with other countries facing more crimes than Nigeria. However, he believes that Nigeria can change the narrative and improve security by taking control of cyberspace.
