MINISTERIAL LIST: Jonathan meets Mark, agrees to drop some nominees •As President insists on merit; to address govs, concerned stakeholders…

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate President, Mr David Mark, met in the late hours of Tuesday to consider the ministerial nominees,

on a state by state basis.

The meeting, according to sources, was a response to concerns raised by stakeholders in the polity on some of the nominees whose names have been mentioned in the media.

Some state governors had raised issues concerning ministerial nominees picked from their states, especially following persistent media mention of certain names, which did not emanate from them.

Sources said that some of the governors, who met with the president earlier on Tuesday, raised issues concerning some of the ministerial nominees, especially regarding the alleged violation of the principles of fairness and federal character in making some of the nominations.

It was gathered that the president called the Senate president not just to compare notes on the nominees so far cleared by the security agencies but also on the final ministerial list.

A source said that the meeting was called to ensure that the Senate is fully carried along in the nomination process, such that none of those recommended is dropped, except in cases of disturbing facts emerging during the Senate screening.

It was learnt that the first batch of ministerial nominees containing 10 names was sent to the president of the Senate for perusal last week, before it was eventually sent to the security operatives.

“The president of the Senate was invited to the Presidential Villa after the president’s meeting with the governors. Senator Mark and the president went through the ministerial list on a state by state basis, comparing notes on positions of stakeholders on some of the nominees.

The idea is to ensure that issues that could lead to the Senate rejecting any of the nominees are resolved ahead of the final release of the list by the Senate next week,” a source said.

It was gathered that some of the names that were faulted either on the basis of their failure to support the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections or character flaws would be replaced by the president.

Any of the nominees whose choice is also seen to have violated what is called “political correctness” will also have his or her nomination reviewed, a source stated.

It was gathered that intense battle has emerged in Lagos, Ekiti and Osun states.

A source said that some top political leaders had kicked against the nomination of Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade as the nominee for Ekiti State on the basis of his perceived lack of support for the PDP in the last election.

There were also said to be intense complaints coming from political leaders in Lagos and Osun over the choice of nominees from the states.

It was learnt, on Wednesday, that Senator Mark had to bar visitors from his official residence, Apo Mansion, following the persistent flow of visitors in the last two weeks.

Mark’s official residence had become a mecca of sorts for lobbyists for ministerial positions even before the names of likely nominees started coming into the public domain.

A source close to the residence said that life was becoming suffocating for those who work in the residence, as the compound was usually jam-packed with visitors’ cars.

“The president of the Senate gave orders that he would not be able to see anyone today [Wednesday] except one, strictly on appointment.

The man is stressed. You should know that very few people have access to the Presidential Villa, but they can make their way into the Senate president’s house. So that is why the crowd in the residence has refused to thin down in recent weeks,” the source said.