While hopes were high in Cross River State that ministerial nominee, Goddy Jedy Agba, will be assigned a major ministerial portfolio by President Muhammadu Buhari, the President early today at the swearing in of new ministers in Abuja, appointed Agba as Minister of State, Power, widely perceived as a junior ministerial position.
Widely touted to be heading for the Petroleum ministry, where Agba has extensive experience, Buhari instead looked the other way and appointed former Bayelsa state governor, Timipre Sylva as Minister of State, Petroleum, working directly under the President.
Reacting, serial commentator, Simon Utsu came clear that, “Buhari didn’t disappoint! Majority of the choice ministries out of a total of 43, are headed by Northerners with the southerners making up the higher numbers as junior ministers(minister of state). An unknown fellow from Taraba state was named as Power minister while Jedy Agba from Cross River who was touted to be the next Petroleum (state) minister due to his years of experience in the public (Oil & Gas) sector, was made minister of state for power. Timipriye Silva from Bayelsa state, a career politician with no experience whatsoever in the sector, was announced as petroleum minister(state). Cross River went from Niger Delta affairs ministry to minister of state for power. That isn’t very bad but it’s not very fair either.”
Utsu’s written reaction is echoed by a top APC source in the state who maintains that the President’s romance with Cross River State clearly appears to be over. “Look at what happened to Walter Onnoghen, Obono-Obla and Oyo-Ita, all from CRS and our relegation now to a junior ministerial position; we cannot be fooled, Buhari has moved on.” “With PMB it is difficult to get it right”, another commentator, Michael Etim Agbor maintains.
However, one Vicky Amiokama, wrote that, “…no one knows God’s plan. God may actually be giving him (Agba) an opportunity to showcase himself, Nigeria’s power problem is huge, breaking records may put his name where we never expected rather then settling for the obvious”
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