7 Former-commissioners likely to emerge in new list of Niger state cabinet

 

BY MAIRIGA Juliana, Minna

About seven commissioners recently sacked by Governor Abubarkar Sani Bello of Niger state will likely be coming back to the system if the list containing 17 names submitted to the Niger State House of Assembly scales through legislatures’ screening.

The name of the immediate past state commissioner for Information, Mr. Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, who is believed to have contributed immensely to the defeat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the All Progressive Congress (APC), is however conspicuously missing.

The seven commissioners that have their names appear in the new list submitted by the executive for screening and confirmation by the State Assembly included; Malam Balarabe Ibrahim (Finance), Aliyu Zakari Jikantoro (Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters) and their Justice counterpart, Mamman Mainasara.

Others are; Hajiya Fatima Maidugu (Education), Kabiru Abbas (Agriculture and Natural Resources), Mamman Musa Bosso (Sports Development) and Dr. Jibrin Mustapha of the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, feelers had it that there are plans to pacify some of the immediate commissioners whose names did not appear on the new list to avoid distortions of the political calculations ahead of the 2019 general elections and to douse possible discordant voices.

The non-appearance of the name of the former commissioner for Information, a source close to the APC in Niger state said is believed to be part of strategies to inject political life into the system towards attaining greater heights.

While the new list still reflect religious and gender imbalance, our source however revealed that the Governor is under pressure to constitute a new cabinet to avoid creating political vacuum and considering the fact that, “Further delays could rob the APC of Niger state in 2019”.

With the approval of the 17 names submitted to the State House of Assembly for screening and approval and three others already on board, Niger state will be having a total of 20 ministries or more to man the ministries in the second half of the administration’s first tenure.


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