How 5 Buhari ministers lost APC gov tickets
Five ministers appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari failed to secure the governorship tickets of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Daily Trust reports.
At the just concluded primaries of the APC, the ministers who reportedly received the blessing of President Buhari to seek for the governorship tickets of the party, failed woefully, despite being members of the federal cabinet.
Our correspondent reports that while two were disqualified by the screening committee of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, three were edged out by their governors and other influential politicians in their respective states.
The duo of Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu and Women Affairs, Aisha Jummai Alhassan, was knocked out of the race by the screening committee.
While Shittu was disqualified over an NYSC scandal, Alhassan, aka Mama Taraba, was screened out over what the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, tagged as “divided loyalty.”
Angered her disqualification, Mama Taraba resigned from the federal cabinet, dumped the APC and joined the United Democratic Party (UDP). She has since picked the Taraba governorship ticket of her new by party.
On his part, Shittu has remained in the party and the executive council. He attended the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday at the State House Villa, Abuja.
The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, was edged out following the endorsement of Professor Babagana Umara-Zulum by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State.
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali’s quest to secure the APC governorship ticket in Zamfara also did not yield positive result. The endorsement of Shehu Idris by the state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has caused confusion in the state.
Unlike Shehuri and DanAli, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, was edged out by the party’s stakeholders in Cross River State.
He was declared winner by a faction of the party but the national leadership of the party recognised Senator John Owan-Enoh instead.
In the cabinet, only the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Ibrahim, secured the ticket of the APC for Damaturu/ Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani Federal Constituency of Yobe State to contest for the House of Representatives’ seat.
The minister defeated her stepson, Mohammed, to clinch the ticket. If she wins the February poll, she will be returning to where she was before her appointment in 2015.
Before now, Dr. Kayode Fayemi had won the governorship election in Ekiti State. Fayemi, who was minister of Solid Minerals, is expected to be sworn-in next week.