Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Stage 3 of transition in Nigeria

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, after firing the cabinet of his predecessor, has begun naming replacements. It's another step in the presidential transition. It suggests that Yar'Adua is not coming back.

The first report is from This Day (Lagos), the second is from the BBC, and the third is from the New York Times.

Aganga, Daggash, Yar'Adua's Son Make New

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan pulled a major surprise yesterday in the ministerial nominee list he sent to the Senate for confirmation.

He retained only seven ministers from the old 42-man cabinet and nominated 18 new ones - a week after dissolving the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF).

A notable newcomer on the list is Mr. Olusegun Aganga, a Managing Director of Goldman Sachs International, who is expected to man the finance portfolio.

Another notable inlcusion is Alhaji Mutallab Yar'Adua, son of late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, elder brother to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.

The list was submitted to Senate President David Mark about 3.45 p.m….

Goodluck Jonathan's cabinet choices surprise Nigeria

Nigeria's senate has named 33 ministerial nominees submitted by acting leader Goodluck Jonathan a week after he sacked the cabinet.

The list contained some surprise names, such as Olusegun Aganga, a banker who works for Goldman Sachs in the UK.

The list, which still needs to be approved by the senate, contained just nine ministers from the former cabinet…

Mr Jonathan is battling to fill a power vacuum that has been plaguing Nigerian politics since Mr Yar'Adua fell ill...

His choices have to balance the interests of 36 states and a wide range of interest groups, and approval of the new cabinet could take weeks.

Nigeria Acting Leader Names Cabinet Nominees

Nigeria's acting president has nominated the country's former junior oil minister and a Goldman Sachs banker to be in his new cabinet, according to a list of 33 nominees read out to the Senate for approval on Wednesday.

The list of names -- which did not give portfolios -- consisted of nine members of the outgoing cabinet, including former junior oil minister Odein Ajumogobia, and new figures including Olusegun Aganga, a London-based managing director at Goldman Sachs…

Jonathan sacked all government ministers last Wednesday in a bid to assert his authority a month after assuming executive powers, and the fast appointment of a new team could ease political uncertainty in Africa's most populous nation…

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Labels: leadership, Nigeria, politics