Buhari’s Cabinet List May Be Altered Due To Saraki, Dogara’s Emergence- Report

The emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the President of the Senate and Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representatives may have altered the cabinet consideration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, is from North-Central while Dogara hails from Bauchi, North-East.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is from the South-East while the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yusuf Lasun, hails from the South-West. All these officers, except Ekweremadu, are members of the ruling APC. The deputy senate president is the only member of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party.


President Buhari was said to be waiting for the outcome of the election before making announcement on key appointments in his government. Apart from the ministers, he was said to be waiting for the election of principal officers of the National Assembly before naming his Secretary to the Government of the Federation, his Chief of Staff and Special Advisers.

Investigations by our correspondent in Abuja indicated that the position of the SGF hitherto reserved for the South-East may now go to another zone because of the emergence of Ekweremadu. In anticipation that the position would go to the zone, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was said to have submitted three names to the President.

Those on his list are a former Governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige; a former Governor of old Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Prof. Anthony Anwuka.

It was gathered that in the negotiation that brought Saraki to power, the zone agreed to rather go for the position of the deputy senate president instead of the SGF.

The presidential source said, “President Buhari is seriously tinkering with the original list he has for political offices. This is because the emergence of the officers of the National Assembly has affected the original list he has.

“Though he was expecting some elements of surprise in the election, but I think he never bargained for a total disregard to party directive in the election of the officers.”