Lobby For Health Minister’s Job Begins - Bode George, Obanikoro Renew Rilvary

Idowu Samuel, AbujaBolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt - 29.03.2008

Following the resignation of the former Minister of Health, Prof. Adenike Grange, on account of financial impropriety, an intense lobby has already commenced for her replacement.

Saturday Tribune learnt that different interest groups both in Lagos and Abuja have started jostling to present a replacement for the embattled former minister who is currently facing interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Against this background, the interest groups have been sending emissaries to the Presidential Villa with a view to getting early attention of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on their respective interests over the replacement of the former minister.

The may have, however, ignited the old rivalry between the two factions of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos led by Chief Bode George and Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro.

Meanwhile, the new leadership of the PDP is scheduled to meet the two factions in the Lagos PDP for a mediatory talk on the crisis between them, as the party’s National Chairman is expected to facilitate the reconciliation of the factions at a meeting he had reportedly scheduled with Lagos PDP members next week.

However, a signpost to the intense lobby by groups for replacement of Prof. Grange came on Friday when a support group for President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua made a case for appointment of Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro as a minister.

The National Support group For Yar’Adua and Jonathan Presidency (NSYJP), in a press statement issued in Abuja, said Obanikoro deserved to be named as a replacement for Prof. Grange in view of his contributions to the party and the government at the federal level.

The founder of NSYJP, Alhaja Chief Are Adenike Lawal, said President Yar’Adua should prevent Obanikoro from resuming as an Ambassador in Ghana and draw him into his cabinet, since, according to her, the former senator had initially been pencilled for a ministerial job.