Uncertainty over Delta ministerial nominee as Ibori’s Candidate races against hurdles

By Tony Danlami

News sources have indicated that though the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori nay have annointed Mofe Boyo for the Delta state ministerial slot in the yet to be constituted cabinet of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu the slot is still fluid.

It was also gathered that Boyo, who is a player in the oil industry, was nominated by Ibori based on his business partnership with Wale Tinubu and others in OANDO oil company.

Ibori, who did not feature on the ministerial list of President Tinubu, because of his past issues, want the president to grant him pardon to enable him contest for Senate in 2027.

As an oil player, the projection in some quarters is to either make Boyo a Minister of State for Petroleum or appoint him the General Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Appointing Boyo as Minister, it was noted, will automatically make him a regulator in the oil industry. However, issue of clash of interests when a regulated entity becomes the regulator is worrisome to Nigerians and the international community.

The Emefiele’s conundrum is an example. It is said that a replay of such in the oil industry will not augur well for Tunubu’s administration

It was learnt that because of this prevailing arguments, the International Oil Companies (IOCs) rejected his nomination in 2019 during the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

This has made the ministerial nomination in Delta state stagnated, no nominee has emerged, whatever is happening is still in the realm of rumor. Delta nominee, it was learn will be a very big surprise to everybody, as some people with sense of entitlement will be disappointed.

With all the moves and counter-moves in the state and the presidency, Ibori’s plot is to take over the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in Delta state, just like what he did in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, until Ifeanyi Okowa came on board and change the narrative.

Ibori’s projection at the moment is to groom David Edewe for governorship to wrestle power from Ifeanyi Okowa’s man in 2027.

Ibori, according to a source, understands that if Ovie Omo-Agege becomes a Minister or governor, he will be a strong force in the Delta politics, this will distabilize his plan, hence his plot to have a total grip in Delta through the presidency. Tentatively, Ibori has dropped Omo-Agege from his list of loyalists.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that 65 years and above is not welcomed in President Tinubu’s cabinet because his focus is to have vibrant cabinet and also to have people, who will assist him in the next election all things be equal.

He is majorly looking for tecnocrats, who will help him to achieve his agenda of fixing the nation and put it on the part of development. Technocrat, whose focus is to develop the nation to an eviable height and help him to gain favour in the eyes of Nigerians through their input.

As an astute politicians, whose major interest is to rebuild the nation through appointing technocrats, who will assist him in creating wealth for the nation, Tinubu knows the important of seasoned politicians in his cabinet. This will assist him to a great extent in re-energizing his winning capacity and capability in 2027. Balancing the cabinet between tecnocrats and seasoned politicians is very important for Tinubu to achieve his goals and objectives of putting the nation on the right track.

It will not be far fetched to say that technocrats are important in an emerging society, this may have been the reason Dangote and Bill Gate brought Pate to Tinubu to make him the Minister of Health in his cabinet.