Ministerial list: DSS Screens Odimegwu, Falana, Utomi, Others

Utomi, Falana and Odimegwu

The Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Limited, Mr. Festus Odimegwu and former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, are among the ministerial nominees that have been screened by the Department of State Service, Punch is reporting authoritatively.
Those already said to have been screened as nominees for President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet also include a former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and a Lagos-lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
Also on the list are a former Chief of Army, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (retd.); an ex-chief executive of the Federal Inland Revenue, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru; a former finance commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Wale Edun; and a former National Legal Adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Screening of the nominees had been concluded on Friday and some of the nominees had appeared before the DSS.
None of the names on the list however confirmed that they had been screened when our correspondents contacted them on Sunday.

Multiple sources within the All Progressives Congress told our correspondent on Sunday that Falana was favoured by a camp in the party to emerge as the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation.

A top APC chieftain said the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had convinced Buhari to appoint Falana.

Tinubu and Osinbajo were said to have told Buhari that appointing Falana, who he jailed over 30 years ago, would boost his image as a ‘converted democrat.’

It was, however, learnt that Malami was being favoured by the President, because he is from the North.

A source within the party added power blocs within Falana’s home state, Ekiti, might not be disposed to the choice of the human rights lawyer because he is not a member of the APC.

It was learnt that Odimegwu, was nominated by the President.

Odimegwu fell out with former President Goodluck Jonathan when he openly criticised the Federal Government. He had resigned and then travelled to the United States.

Two weeks to the March 28 presidential election, however, Odimegwu openly supported Buhari and called him ‘the best man for the job.’

A top DSS operative said the agency had conducted extensive checks on the nominees, including their financial transactions and their records with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police.