How Orubebe regained ministerial slot - The Jonathan, Ex-Governor Connection

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 25.11.2007

FURTHER details have emerged as to the give-and-take arrangements that saw to the swearing-in of Chief Peter Godsday Orubebe as a minister on Wednesday. The swearing-in of the minister was suspended in a dramatic fashion on October 24, following the clearance alongside four other ministerial nominees by the Senate in October.

Although some sources had attributed his travails to a fresh security report, it was later clarified that there were only political issues around the nomination.

The government of Delta State later came out frontally in opposition against the minister, a development that placed the Delta Elders led by Chief Edwin Clark against Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s government. It was gathered that though the minister comes from Delta State, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, as the leader of the South South, had submitted his name to President Umaru Yar’ Adua for nomination as a minister.

Sources hinted that the Vice President was of the opinion that since the camp of former governor, James Ibori, had influenced earlier appointments from Delta State, picking Orubebe would give other members of the party from the zone a sense of belonging.

But those opposed to the nomination of the minister had fought tooth and nail to prevent his confirmation by the Senate. Despite objections by the Senators from Delta State, the other five states of the South South zone rallied behind Orubebe and swayed the Senate to confirm him as minister.

But sources close to the Presidency told the Sunday Tribune that those opposed to Orubebe would not relent even when it seemed clear that he was going to be sworn in on October 24.

A source said that a former governor in the South South had made it to the Presidential Villa in the early hours of October 24 and begged the President to suspend the swearing in of the minister.

“The governor was on his knees for most of the visit praying the President to look into the matter and prevent the immediate swearing in of the minister,” the source said.

It was further gathered that the governor alleged that the immediate swearing-in of the minister would deal a huge blow to his political image and career.

It was gathered that the former governor was practically on his knees, trying to convince the president not to swear in the minister.