Ministerial list: Infighting in south-west APC delays Buhari's cabinet- President Muhammadu Buhari's ministerial list is said to have been delayed by political disagreements within the south-west APC - The infighting among chieftains of the party in the region as to who gets what is said to be delaying the president's list - The president is also said to have refused to consult on the ministerial list, or yield to other interests since he was re-elected A report by The Guardian indicates that one of the factors delaying the selection of President Muhammadu Buhari's ministerial list is the serious internal wrangling/intrigues rocking the ruling party, which has caused the president to prevaricate. According to the report, the south-west zone is where intrigues are most contentious and the intra-party rivalry vicious. Feelers are that Buhari, and indeed the presidency may have decided to keep the ministerial list discreet in order to fence the likes of National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and stop them from having undue influence and advantage. A source quoted in the report said, “Buhari has refused to consult on the ministerial list, or yield to other interests since he was re-elected. “While certain interests have impressed on the president to appoint Mr. Wale Edun, who served as Lagos state commissioner of finance between 1999 and 2007, the former governor of Ogun state, Chief Segun Osoba, and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, it was gathered are not favourably disposed to that idea since they also have their preferences. “Since the former minister of finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun (from OgunsState) resigned after a protracted NYSC certificate scandal, Osoba and Osinbajo, are said to be of the view that her replacement should come from the state. “Apart from Osinbajo and Osoba’s positions, Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun is also said to be uncomfortable with the idea of fielding Edun, who all stakeholders/antagonists said played all his politics in Lagos state and so cannot be foisted on Ogun by anybody.” READ ALSO: Tinubu, southern Christians cannot be president in 2023 - ACF chief Abdulrahman It was also claimed that the push for Edun through Ogun (just like in 2015, which failed), may be to foreclose chances of the immediate past governor of Lagos state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, being named finance minister. Buhari is also facing similar challenges in Ekiti state. While Governor Kayode Fayemi is putting forward Otunba Niyi Adebayo, a former governor of the state to fill its ministerial slot, the national leader is said to prefer another former governor of the state, Mr. Segun Oni. One of the major causes of friction in Ekiti state is the propensity of Fayemi to want remain his own man while Oni enjoys some liking from Lagos. It is therefore, not an exaggeration to say that Fayemi would never allow Oni to be imposed as minister, as he may use the office to empower himself for future contests and power play. There are, however, strong indications that Buhari may eventually appoint human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana as his Attorney General and Minister of Justice. If this happens, the president would have ignored both Fayemi and Tinubu and settled for a neutral person. Though, efforts were made to push Falana in 2015 to no avail, this time, Buhari himself is said to have picked interest in the rights lawyer, believing that he has the capacity to help push and fine-tune the restructuring agenda, which is now in high demand. In Ondo state, the president may opt for one of his loyalists, Ifeoluwa Oyedele, an engineer, who has stuck to him since his Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) days. He was also in the Buhari Campaign Council for 2019. Although, there is a consideration for the former national legal adviser of the PDP, Chief Olusola Oke, he is being tagged as being deeply rooted in the opposition party, in addition to being a nomadic politician, who moves too easily. Buhari nearly appointed Oyedele as minister in 2015, but former governor of Osun state and former interim national chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande felt that the first cabinet was dominated by CPC members. In Lagos state, the campaign against Ambode may eventually be thrashed as sources said the presidency is bent on giving the immediate past governor a slot to, at least, compensate him for the humiliation he suffered, when he was denied a second term ticket despite the president’s intervention. Buhari is also yet to make up his mind whether to drop the former communications minster, Adebayo Shittu, whose misunderstanding with the immediate past governor of Oyo, Senator Abiola Ajimobi was partly responsible for loss of the state in the last presidential and governorship election. In Osun, a cabal within the ruling party is said to be canvassing for Senator Iyiola Omisore to be appointed minister as compensation for what he did to help APC win the governorship election last year. Buhari is also yet to make up his mind whether to drop Prof. Isaac Adewole, the immediate past minister for health, who sources claim is interested in returning to his former office. The president’s predicament in Osun is that former Governor Rauf Aregbesola is also lobbying to get a ministerial appointment. READ ALSO: INEC strategising for better elections in 2023 - Official Meanwhile, a recent media report indicates that President Buhari may submit his cabinet list to the Senate, this week, as senators resume sitting on Tuesday, July 2. According to the report, some immediate past ministers are set for a return to the Federal Executive Council. Presidency sources quoted in the report said a number of former cabinet members would make the list. The cabinet list, according to one of the source, will reach the Senate, barely one month after President Buhari’s inauguration; to give senators ample time to screen the nominees before they commence on summer break on Friday, July 26. Follow LEGIT to keep pace with the latest news! How Nigeria's democracy has fared in the last 20 years - Jega, Ezekwesili | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - President Muhammadu Buhari's ministerial list is said to have been delayed by political disagreements within the south-west APC - The infighting among chieftains of the party in the region as to who gets what is said to be delaying the president's list - The president is also said to have refused to consult on the ministerial list, or yield to other interests since he was re-elected READ ALSO: READ ALSO: