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DE RUEHUJA #1559/01 2011332
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P 201332Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
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INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0460
RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0461
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 7452
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM NI
SUBJECT:  UPDATE ON MINISTERIAL NOMINEES 
 
 
ABUJA 00001559  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
--------- 
SUMMARY 
--------- 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  The stage is almost set for the formation of President 
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's cabinet as forty ministerial nominees will 
learn their fate on Tuesday, July 24.  The Senate adjourned Thursday 
night after screening 38 out of 40 candidates. They plan to 
reconvene Tuesday, July 24 for a hearing on the whole slate followed 
by an up or down vote. However, five of the candidates faced further 
investigation due to allegations they submitted forged documents 
certifying their required participation in the National Youth 
Service Corps.  Two candidates, Tukar el-Sudi (Taraba) and Amadu 
Ahmed (Kaduna) were not screened on July 19 despite being listed on 
the schedule.  Unfortunately, other than these few instances, the 
screening exercise was mostly for show including the allowance of 
several candidates to bow and take a seat with no questioning at 
all.  Overall the process did not expose a majority of the nominees 
to challenging issue-based questions, making it difficult to assess 
their true competency.   END SUMMARY 
 
-------------------------------- 
FIVE NOMINEES BEING INVESTIGATED 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Five ministerial candidates faced further investigation due to 
allegations they submitted forged documents detailing their 
participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). After 
graduating from university, all Nigerians are required by law to 
serve one year in the NYSC before beginning their career. 
Unfortunately, people have been known to pay for fake documents to 
avoid serving and allow them to start their career sooner.  Although 
the identities were not officially announced, it is believed that 
the following are among those being investigated:  Emeka Okechukwu 
(Anambra), Adetokunbo Kayode (Ondo), Ibrahim Tukar el-Sudi (Plateau) 
and Adamu Ahmed (Kaduna) and one other unknown nominee. Senate 
Majority Leader, Teslim Kolawole Folarin (Oyo Central), stated that 
the NYSC would be contacted to verify the authenticity of the 
respective documents and the result of the investigation would be 
received by Monday, July 23, prior to the confirmation hearing 
scheduled for Tuesday, July 24. 
 
------------------------------------- 
TWO CANDIDATES DROPPED FROM SCREENING 
------------------------------------- 
¶3.  At the commencement of the screenings on July 19, Senate 
President, David Mark, announced that although seven names were 
scheduled to be screened that day, only five would actually be seen 
prior to adjourning.  It is unclear why the two candidates, Tukar 
el-Sudi (Taraba) and Amadu Ahmed (Kaduna), remained unscreened, but 
it fuelled speculation that they may have been withdrawn from the 
list of nominees.  El-Sudi is allegedly bogged down by a series of 
petitions against him forwarded by political leaders in Taraba. 
Opposition to Ahmed emanated from the Kaduna Forum, a pressure group 
that stated Ahmed had never been instrumental to the success of the 
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and does not represent the interest 
of the people. 
 
 
------------------------- 
NOMINEES ALREADY SCREENED 
------------------------- 
 
¶4.  The Senate completed screening  of the following nominees:  Abba 
Sayyadi Ruma (Katsina), Senator Akinlabi Olasunkunmi (Osun), Mrs. 
Grace Ekpiwhre (Delta), Aishatu Jibril Dukku (Gombe), John Ogar Odey 
(Cross River), Bode Augusto (Lagos), Mrs. Fidelia Akubata Njeze 
(Enugu), Aderemi Babalola (Oyo), Bagudu Hirse (Plateau), Halima Tayo 
Alao (Kwara), Gabriel Aduku (Kogi), Yayale Ahmed (Bauchi), Igwe 
Aja-Nwachukwu (Ebonyi), Godwin Abbey (Edo), Odein Ajumogobia 
(Rivers) and John Akpanudoedehe (Akwa-Ibom), Dr. Shamsudeen Usman 
(Kano); Senator Mohammed Sanusi Daggash (Borno), Chief Sarafa Tunji 
Isola (Ogun), Prince Adetokunbo Kayode - SAN (Ondo), Mrs Diezani 
Allison Madueke (Bayelsa), Emeka John Okechukwu (Anambra), Tijjani 
Yahaya Kaura (Zamfara), Ahmed Garba Bichi (Kano), Mohammed Ahmed 
Gusau (Sokoto), Abdulrahman Hassan Gimba (Niger). 
 
------------------------------------ 
NOMINEES SCREENED BUT NOT QUESTIONED 
------------------------------------ 
¶5.  It came as a surprise that Ojo Maduekwe (Abia) was not asked a 
single question but told to take a bow and leave.  When Maduekwe's 
name was first announced, he did not have the support of his local 
 
ABUJA 00001559  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Senators.  Initially, all three opposed his candidacy and submitted 
petitions against him.  However, the situation was later resolved 
when Maduekwe met with the Senators and brought them into agreement 
about his nomination.  Others who were granted the privilege of 
taking a bow without answering any questions included: the ANPP 
nominee from Plateau, Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande; the Benue nominee 
Michael Kaase Aondoakaa; and Dr. Jerry Agada.  Although the other 
candidates screened on July 19 were questioned, none encountered 
challenging policy-based inquiries that would demonstrate their 
abilities. 
------------------------------------ 
SPECULATIONS ON PORTFOLIOS 
------------------------------------ 
¶6.  Although still undecided, there is speculation about which 
portfolios will be assigned to the nominees.  Chief Ojo Maduekwe, 
current national secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party 
(PDP), who has been in the corridors of power since the Sani Abacha 
era and is familiar with both local and international politics, is 
thought to be assigned the Foreign Affairs Ministry.  Dr. Usman 
Shamsudeen, a deputy governor with the central bank, having a vast 
knowledge of fiscal policies is likely to be responsible for the 
Finance Ministry.  Yayale Ahmed, an astute administrator and 
immediate past head of the federal Civil Service will most likely 
run the Federal Capital Territory; while General Godwin Abbey (rtd), 
 a former military administrator of Rivers State,  could oversee the 
Defense Ministry.  Finally, it is thought that Former President of 
the Nigeria Bar Association and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, 
Adetokunbo Kayode, is likely to be assigned the Justice Ministry 
despite the current investigations allegedly taking place against 
him. 
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COMMENT 
--------- 
¶7. COMMENT:  If the current investigation into the NYSC certificates 
of five of the nominees reveals that they submitted fraudulent 
documents, disqualification is expected and the spotlight will be on 
the Senate as they decide how to proceed during the final 
Confirmation Hearing scheduled for July 24.  Though the Senate 
confirmation is meant to ensure the best possible candidates become 
Ministers, the screening process so far has leaned more towards show 
than substance.  There has been little questioning on real issues, 
making it hard for observers to evaluate the caliber of nominees, 
some of whom are relative unknowns and others who are career 
politicians.  END COMMENT. 
 
GRIBBIN