At least six ministers are expected to resign from office before the end of this week to join the governorship contest in their respective states in line with the guidelines of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
A special valedictory session is to be held for the outgoing ministers on Wednesday, October, 15 during which President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to caution them against expecting any special favours from him during the governorship primaries.
Yesterday, the minister of information, Mr. Labran Maku gave public indication of his own exit at a thanksgiving service to mark his service in the federal cabinet.
The resignation letters are expected to be tabled before the president latest on October 15, 2014 when the Federal Executive Council, FEC holds its regular weekly meeting.
Others largely expected to leave the cabinet in pursuit of the governorship races in their respective states include Chief Emeka Wogu, (Labour and Productivity), Senator Bala Muhammed (Federal Capital Territory), Nyesom Wike (Education), Dr. Samuel Ortom (State, Trade, Industry and Investment) and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Defence) and Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (Health).
Wogu is one of the leading contenders for the governorship ticket of the PDP in his native Abia State and is believed to be under pressure to contest for the ticket. Senator Mohammed is vying for the PDP ticket in Bauchi State, Wike is contending for the PDP ticket in Rivers while Ortom is believed to be angling for the PDP ticket in Benue state.
Senator Obanikoro who was the PDP candidate in 2007 is believed to be also ready to seek the party’s ticket again for another shot while Prof. Onyebuchi has himself been already endorsed by the mainstream of the party for the governorship ticket in his native Ebonyi State.
Sources disclosed that at the special valedictory service holding on Wednesday that President Jonathan is expected to thank the ministers for their contribution to his administration and wish them good luck in their respective endeavours.
One source, however, disclosed that the president is also likely to caution the outgoing ministers not to expect any special favour from him in the gubernatorial primaries as he would tell them to expect a level playing ground for all governorship contenders.
Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday gave notice of his own exit at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Akwanga in Nasarawa State, during a thanksgiving service to mark his time in the cabinet.
The Minister said he would be returning home to seek the mandate of his people to be governor and lead them and return Nasarawa State to the path of peace, justice, progress and development.
“By next week 20th, anyone in cabinet or government that wants to contest election will have to step out because the time has come for us to do that and I have always made my interest known.
So next week by the grace of God, I will sacrifice the comfort of the office of Minister, it’s a comfortable office and I am not tired and my leader is not tired but you see a time came when Moses stepped out of the palace to enter the wilderness with his people. That’s exactly what I am about to do now.”
Mr. Maku therefore urged the people never to lose hope because of the circumstances they found themselves but that they should strive to imbibe the attributes that would enable them to overcome the challenges of life and become great.
In his sermon, the Chaplain of the College of Education, Akwanga, Bishop Gabriel Mgba called on Nigerians to stand firm irrespective of tribe and religion and unite against terrorism in parts of the country.
He prayed to God to raise selfless leaders at all levels to improve the quality of life of the citizens, promote good governance, democracy and development.
The Bishop called for the diversification of the economy to grow beyond oil and improvement in the electoral process.
Among dignitaries who attended the Church Service were Senator Solomon Ewuga, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan, representative of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Tope Ajakaiye , the Director General of NTA, Mr. Sola Omole and some members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
A special valedictory session is to be held for the outgoing ministers on Wednesday, October, 15 during which President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to caution them against expecting any special favours from him during the governorship primaries.
Yesterday, the minister of information, Mr. Labran Maku gave public indication of his own exit at a thanksgiving service to mark his service in the federal cabinet.
The resignation letters are expected to be tabled before the president latest on October 15, 2014 when the Federal Executive Council, FEC holds its regular weekly meeting.
Others largely expected to leave the cabinet in pursuit of the governorship races in their respective states include Chief Emeka Wogu, (Labour and Productivity), Senator Bala Muhammed (Federal Capital Territory), Nyesom Wike (Education), Dr. Samuel Ortom (State, Trade, Industry and Investment) and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Defence) and Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (Health).
Wogu is one of the leading contenders for the governorship ticket of the PDP in his native Abia State and is believed to be under pressure to contest for the ticket. Senator Mohammed is vying for the PDP ticket in Bauchi State, Wike is contending for the PDP ticket in Rivers while Ortom is believed to be angling for the PDP ticket in Benue state.
Senator Obanikoro who was the PDP candidate in 2007 is believed to be also ready to seek the party’s ticket again for another shot while Prof. Onyebuchi has himself been already endorsed by the mainstream of the party for the governorship ticket in his native Ebonyi State.
Sources disclosed that at the special valedictory service holding on Wednesday that President Jonathan is expected to thank the ministers for their contribution to his administration and wish them good luck in their respective endeavours.
One source, however, disclosed that the president is also likely to caution the outgoing ministers not to expect any special favour from him in the gubernatorial primaries as he would tell them to expect a level playing ground for all governorship contenders.
Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday gave notice of his own exit at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Akwanga in Nasarawa State, during a thanksgiving service to mark his time in the cabinet.
The Minister said he would be returning home to seek the mandate of his people to be governor and lead them and return Nasarawa State to the path of peace, justice, progress and development.
“By next week 20th, anyone in cabinet or government that wants to contest election will have to step out because the time has come for us to do that and I have always made my interest known.
So next week by the grace of God, I will sacrifice the comfort of the office of Minister, it’s a comfortable office and I am not tired and my leader is not tired but you see a time came when Moses stepped out of the palace to enter the wilderness with his people. That’s exactly what I am about to do now.”
Mr. Maku therefore urged the people never to lose hope because of the circumstances they found themselves but that they should strive to imbibe the attributes that would enable them to overcome the challenges of life and become great.
In his sermon, the Chaplain of the College of Education, Akwanga, Bishop Gabriel Mgba called on Nigerians to stand firm irrespective of tribe and religion and unite against terrorism in parts of the country.
He prayed to God to raise selfless leaders at all levels to improve the quality of life of the citizens, promote good governance, democracy and development.
The Bishop called for the diversification of the economy to grow beyond oil and improvement in the electoral process.
Among dignitaries who attended the Church Service were Senator Solomon Ewuga, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan, representative of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Tope Ajakaiye , the Director General of NTA, Mr. Sola Omole and some members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
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