As Nigerians and Muslim faithful throughout the world celebrate the Sallah holiday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to arrive in from London today ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Recall that the Presidency said on Saturday that the President had flown to the United Kingdom from France, where he had attended a gathering for ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ organized by French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Tinubu, who was originally scheduled to return to Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a brief private visit,” the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication, and Strategy, Dele Alake, said in a statement on Saturday.
The statement did not provide a date for Tinubu’s return, only that the “President will be back in the country in time for the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival.”
Presidency sources confirmed to PUNCH NEWSPAPER on Monday that Tinubu would return to his private Ikoyi house in Lagos later on Tuesday to mark his first Sallah celebration as President.
“I am confident that he will return to Lagos tomorrow (Tuesday) rather than Abuja.” That is where he will observe Sallah, according to the source.
According to reports, the president will join other dignitaries for Eid prayers at the Obalende Muslim Prayer Ground, which is located in Dodan Barracks, the former seat of the Nigerian government.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari directed that authority of the Obalende Eid Prayer Ground be returned to the Lagos Jama’atul Muslimeen Council of the Lagos Central Mosque just hours before his departure.
According to a Presidency source, “the holiday lasts until Thursday, but Tinubu may extend his stay until Sunday or Monday next week before returning to Abuja.”
He returns amid doubt regarding his cabinet list, which is nearly ready for submission to the National Assembly.
Another insider told The PUNCH, “I learned that Tinubu’s ministerial list is almost complete.” He kept a small group of ministers to himself, mainly inspired by the SA kitchen cabinet.
“The politicians are in a state of ‘Bolekaja’ over the rest.” It’s now a slugfest.”
Tinubu’s cabinet would be formed within one month of taking office, according to Alake, then Special Adviser to the President-elect.
According to Alake, this is in accordance with the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, which requires Presidents-elect and governors-elect to submit the names of their ministerial and commissioner-nominees for confirmation by the Senate or state House of Assembly within 60 days of taking the oath of office.
“I told you in an earlier interview that Asiwaju formed his cabinet as governor in less than three weeks,” he stated.
“That was the case at the time.” I believe 60 days is excessive.
“A month, at most, is enough time for any serious government to form its cabinet and establish a government structure after the swearing-in.”
Bayo Onanuga, the then-Director of Media and Publicity for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, echoed the narrative, saying, “What I can assure you is that even if the list is not ready on the first day, Asiwaju will not take more than one month to put his cabinet together.” He will not, under any circumstances, wait 60 days to construct a competent cabinet.”
Mismob Media