Ministerial slot: Chime, Ekweremadu lose out, back President on Nnaji

By Tony Edike
ENUGU—THE nomination of Professor Barth Nnaji to occupy the Enugu State ministerial slot by President Goodluck Jonathan may have foreclosed the reappointment of the former Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, who reportedly had the sympathy of the Deputy Senate President for the position.

Also, Governor Sullivan Chime’s desire to install one of his loyalists, Engr. Vita Abba, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who was on the list of 10 nominees forwarded to the presidency by the party, may have also hit the rocks as the president was said to have nominated Nnaji, former Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power without consulting the two power
brokers.

Vanguard learnt from reliable sources Monday that the alleged disagreement between Chime and Ekweremadu gave the president the leeway to appoint Nnaji, who is being tipped as the Minister to oversee the power ministry for the Jonathan administration.

Although both Chime and Ekweremadu have neither admitted nor denied media reports regarding their disagreement over the choice of ministerial nominee from the state, there had been insinuations among their supporters that the political alliance between them became unstable recently on account of their discordant tones over who should represent the state in the new federal cabinet.

One of the top aides of Governor Chime, however, confirmed that the duo of Chime and Ekweremadu were not instrumental to Nnaji’s nomination but that they have since given him their support to represent the state, adding that the reported disagreement between them on the issue was not true.

“As you know, Professor Nnaji is an Enugu indigene and he is highly qualified for the job.  He is world-renowned and there is no doubt about his credential.

The governor is the father of all in the state and he is not expected to deploy his support behind one person.

“Since the President has in his wisdom nominated Professor Nnaji from Enugu, the Governor and Ekweremadu have nothing against his decision.  We are in support of his nomination and we are confident that being an experienced personality, he will represent us well in the federal cabinet.

So, I want to tell you that the media report regarding the disagreement between Chime and Ekweremadu over the ministerial nominee is far from the truth.  There has been a good political alliance between them since 2007 and I don’t see anything that can cause a division now,” said the aide who pleaded anonymity.