Why Jonathan Couldn't Swear in Ministers
I think Jonathan is confused.
The swearing-in of 38 new as well as reappointed ministers whose nominations were confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday afternoon could not take place yesterday as widely expected because Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was unable to allocate portfolios to them, Daily Trust gathered from informed sources yesterday.
The Senate's hurried screening of the 38 nominees and the speedy confirmation of all of them was at the instance of Jonathan, who pleaded for speed so that the government could resume full business, but he failed to swear them in yesterday on the eve of the long Easter break.
A senior government official told Daily Trust last night that the swearing-in of the 38 nominees would now hold on Tuesday, when they would also be allocated portfolios.
Following their confirmation on Wednesday, the Acting President's aides told the new ministers to be "on standby" throughout yesterday. However, a senior source in the President said the Acting President could not make up his mind as to who would go to which ministry.
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In fact, a Presidency aide said throughout yesterday, the CVs of many of the new ministers were being studied in the Acting President's office to see who would fit where. Besides considerations of each minister's area of specialisation, Jonathan and his aides were also worried that any mistake in the geopolitical allocation of ministerial portfolios could lead to a political uproar.
Initial speculations by some Lagos-based newspapers had indicated that the key portfolios of Finance, Petroleum Resources, Power, Federal Capital Territory, Works and Defence would all be manned by Southerners.
A Presidency source however blamed the confusion of what she said was the last-minute substitution of some nominees, and that some people's names were sent to the Senate ahead of the arrival of their CVs.
From Daily trust 1st April
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