Ministerial List: Buhari Breached Constitution By Appointing Self Petroleum Minister – LP

Kayode Ajulo

As reactions continue to trail the purported ministerial nominees submitted to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki on Wednesday, the Labour Party has said it does not see any difference in the list and the former ministers who served under the ousted Peoples Democratic Party.

The LP National Secretary, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, said the list fell short of the expectation of many Nigerians because those whose names reportedly appeared on it and President Muhammadu Buhari, did not have anything to offer.

Ajulo pointed out that the president failed to submit the full list of the ministerial nominees to the senate as earlier promised, arguing that if he could fail to present the full list on Wednesday to the senate at plenary as previously pledged, then his commitment to governance was in serious doubt.

While declining to comment on the integrity of those whose names appeared on the ministerial list because they have yet to be officially announced by the senate, the LP national scribe faulted President Buhari for violating the constitution by planning to make himself minister of petroleum.

Ajulo said, “Again, the President is making himself the minister of petroleum, which is a breach of the constitution. How does the legislature carry out its oversight functions on the ministry of petroleum when the President is the one heading?

“The constitution made it clear that the President cannot hold any executive office. The only person who the constitution allows to hold any executive office is the vice-president because the constitution says the President can assign any other executive office to him”.

He, however, said Buhari would have succeeded in deceiving Nigerians if the names of those reported to have submitted to the senate were eventually confirmed to be ministerial nominees.

“I don’t expect any change from the President because he had failed in many ways”, he said.