ABUJA—Former Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, Professor Charles Soludo, and
former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi,
were yesterday sighted at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja, filling visitors’ forms on their way to the
office of Alhaji Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to
President Muhammadu Buhari.
Prof Soludo
Soludo entered the Chief of Staff’s office around
5:30p.m., followed by Fayemi about 30 minutes
later.
They were visiting the Villa when expectations
were high that President Buhari would soon make
his ministerial list public.
It will recalled that the President had repeatedly
assured Nigerians that he will form his cabinet
before the end of this month.
Soludo, who was the CBN governor during the
administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo
and late Umar Yar’Adua, was critical of the
immediate past government of former President,
Goodluck Jonathan, on the financial management
and the handling of the economy, which he said
was brutally raped.
Fayemi was the Director of Policy, Research and
Strategy in All Progressives Congress, APC,
presidential campaign organization.
I’m not available for
public service—SOLUDO
Many believed that Soludo’s critical outbursts on
the eve of the presidential election in March
helped to sway sympathy and votes for President
Buhari even as the former CBN governor, in an
interview with an online media, Premium Times,
on June 7, said he was not prepared to work for
the government, saying he was preoccupied with
other engagements
He had said: “Nigerians and their rumours! I am
glad you said they are rumours and such rumours
are normal.
“For sure, I wish the new government success
and for the sake of Nigeria, everyone must
contribute to assist President Buhari succeed.
“I will contribute in whatever way I can. However,
everyone cannot sit in government in order to
serve: some will be there on full time basis,
while others can contribute from outside.
“For me at this point in time, I am not disposed
or available for full time public service. Perhaps
in the future it could happen, but not now.
‘My hands are full’
“For now, my hands are full with several other
experiments I am involved with (especially abroad)
in the private sector, charity, think-tanks, and the
international community.
“I am part of a major initiative in Africa’s mining
and solid minerals sector, and this takes me
through several African countries, among other
engagements.
“I am having great fun exploring totally new
vistas of opportunity that are central to Africa’s
great leap in the 21st century.
“I read that President Buhari will give priority to
solid minerals. We can provide free advisory
services and perhaps assist to mobilize investment
in the sector or in any other areas if our advice
is needed.
“In effect, there are several ways we can assist
the government to succeed but not necessarily to
take up full time appointment. No, not now,” he
was quoted as saying in the interview.
Meanwhile, it was not known whether both men
later met with President Buhari as they waited
for the Chief of Staff, who was in the
President’s office when they arrived the State
House.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/soludo-fayemi-visit-buharis-cos-ahead-of-ministerial-appointments/