Not unexpectedly, names of former and outgoing governors have dominated lists of ministerial nominees sent by the state chapters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the national secretariat, THISDAY checks have revealed.
This follows the directive of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP which last week wrote to its 36 state chapters and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to each submit three names to be considered as ministers and seven others for special advisers and other federal appointments in the in-coming government.


Apart from the former and outgoing governors, checks revealed that the list is also populated by state party executives, candidates who lost in their bids to secure people’s mandates during the April elections as well as top party supporters.
On the list of Kaduna State obtained by THISDAY, former governor Ahmed Makarfi leads eight other politicians whose names have been submitted to Abuja. They are Suleiman Uthman Hunkuyi, state party chairman Ya'u Usman, Abdulkadir Jibrin, Hajiya Mairo Habibi, former Deputy Governor of Kaduna State James Bawa Magaji, Mr. Hassan Hyat, Mrs. Charity Shekari and Hamisu Abubakar Mairago.


As at the time of filing this report, the name of the 10th person was being debated, but THISDAY learnt that either Senator Isaiah Balat or Architect Nuhu Wya, the current Minister of State for Power, would have his name forwarded.
In Oyo State, though the full list could not be ascertained at the time of going to press, the names of outgoing governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and his deputy Taofeeq Arapaja have both made the list. They are joined by Jumoke Akinjide and Senator Kamoru Adedibu.


For Zamfara State, outgoing Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi who also lost in his re-election bid, leads other party stalwarts such as former Sokoto Governor Malam Yahaya Abdulkarim, state PDP secretary Musa Zubairu, Barrister Adamu Umar and Ambassador MZ Anka in the list.


Others are Senator Hassan Muhammed Gusau who lost in his bid to return to the senate, outgoing SSG Muhammad Bawa Gusau, chairman of Bakura local government council Malami Dambo, state commissioner of Works Ibrahim Ajiya Shinkafi and state commissioner of Education Ibrahim Danmaliki.
In Lagos State, the defeated PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Shamsudeen Ade Dosunmu, tops the list believed to have been drawn up by Chief Bode George.


Others on the list are Bode Oladele, a former aide to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, and senatorial candidates in the last elections W. Abainwonda (Lagos East), Tolagbe Animashaun (Lagos Central) and Moshood Salvado (Lagos West).
The state party chairman, Kosedo Setonji, secretary O Shelly and former Lagos State commissioner, Dr. Segun Ogundimu also made the list, in addition to Owolabi Salis, a former governorship aspirant.


The name of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, is conspicuously missing from the list.
However, some of the nominees may be in for a shocker as President Goodluck Jonathan is said to have indicated that he would want seasoned technocrats to hold key positions in his next cabinet.
THISDAY had reported last week that Jonathan was planning a leaner cabinet by limiting ministerial appointments to the minimum of 36 prescribed by the Constitution.