President Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari to decide fate of ministers who shelved political ambitions, says Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says President Muhammadu Buhari will determine fate of those Ministers who shelved their political ambitions.

The minister stated this when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after the weekly virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The meeting was presided over by President Buhari at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Mohammed said he needed to confirm the position of things as regard the status of the returning cabinet members on whether they have been properly reabsorbed or otherwise.

The minister said: “The other question about ministers returning or not going, I think you need to give me more time so that I can tell you exactly what the situation is.

”Right now, I need to cross check. I need to confirm again from Mr President what the situation is. You see the final decision on who is going, who’s coming back, who’s not going lies with Mr. President”

NAN reports that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami was physically present at the Council’s meeting on Wednesday, while the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen and Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva attended the meeting virtually from their various offices in Abuja.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, who also rescinded his decision to participate in the forthcoming party’s primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was reported to be on an official visit to South Africa.

Ngige is attending the International Labour Organization (ILO), global conference on Child Labour in Durban.

NAN reports that President Buhari on May 13 met with outgoing 10 ministers at a valedictory session in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Ministers are those of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

Others are the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen and the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Tayo Alasoadura.

The Minister of State (Education), Emeka Nwajiuba, who had earlier tendered his resignation, was not present at the valedictory session.