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Cabinet reshuffle: Fear grips Atiku loyalists
bayo oladeji
Senior Correspondent, Abuja
The imminent
cabinet re-shuffle by President Olusegun Obasanjo has sent jitters down the
spines of loyalists of the vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, holding various political posts at
the Presidency, as indications emerged that they might be affected.
The cabinet shake
up is expected to be carried out by the president in the first quarter of next
year.
Reliable sources at
the Presidency who spoke with our correspondent on the issue said the proposed
reshuffle would be in partial readiness by the Federal Government for the 2007
presidential election.
According to the
sources, as part of the plan to ensure its neutrality and prepare a level
playing field for all presidential aspirants, there was the need to drop major
loyalists to any of the possible presidential aspirants, especially, those of
the vice president, who is at present in office and planning to contest for the
post of the president in 2007.
Also to be
affected, the sources said, were ministers and other aides who might be nursing
the ambition to become governors or contest for any elective posts.
The sources said
the loyalists of the vice president were aware of the decision of the president
and had become jittery over what might become their fate.
The sources further
stated that although Obasanjo had, at different times expressed his decision to
remain neutral in the contest come 2007, some of the loyalists of Atiku believe
that the coming cabinet reshuffle would be designed to clip the wings of the
vice president.
Said one of the
sources: “We learnt that the major cabinet reshuffle is purposely to drop
those who are loyal to Atiku.”
Another source
added that the president might have resolved to support Babangida in his bid
for the post of the president in 2007.
The possible
support for Babangida, a source said, could be a part of the strategy of
ex-military leaders to continue to rule the nation.
“President
Obasanjo seems to have made up his mind to support his old friend, Gen.
Babangida in his second coming. I learnt the two of them met recently for
several hours on the 2007 elections.
Haven’t you heard what Governor Saminu Turaki said at the Arewa
Consultative Forum meeting in Kaduna on how Mr. President prevented Atiku from
attending?
“Nigeria does
not belong to the military alone.
They had ruled and ruined the economy and every social
infrastructure. They would not be
allowed to be exchanging baton among themselves. I can assure you, we are up to the task and I hope the
political class would rally round Atiku in fighting this cause,” said a
presidency source and Atiku loyalist.
But a presidential aide faulted the position of some of the
Atiku loyalists, arguing that Obasanjo had never stopped the vice president
from his political ambition. To
him, “the two are relating well and I hope these extremists would not
destroy the mutual understanding.
That was how they went to town accusing Mr. President of working for a
third term in office. You will
know who is telling lies.”
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