MUST READ: How President Buhari Selected His Ministers

There are reports that President Muhammadu Buhari’s 21 would-be ministers whose names were submitted to the Senate on Wednesday, September 30, were unaware of their nominations.

According to The Nation, the president neither met nor hinted any of the nominees of their appointments.

A source who spoke to The Nation said after the president shortlisted those he needed, he directed security agencies to conduct discreet investigations into their records including those close to him were not exempted.

All the nominees were on Thursday, October 1, directed by the presidency to submit their curriculum vitae.

READ ALSO: 7 Things You Must Know About PMB’s Ministerial List

There was anxiety in 14 states whose ministerial nominees have not yet been announced. Some of the states include, Ondo, Kogi, Abia, Enugu and Imo.

Another source who spoke with The Nation, said most of the nominees announced were surprised because some of them had been coming to the Presidential Villa, but the president did not confide in them.

“I can tell you that the President did not give assurance to ex-governors Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi, and Babatunde Fashola. Even as close as Lt.-Gen. Dambazzau and Sen. Hadi Sirika are to the President, they did not know that they would be in the cabinet. The President adopted suspense all through. That is his style.

“The security checks were jealously guarded to prevent leakage. This was the nature of the appointment. The President adopted intelligence approach in picking his team. A few others who were nominated by some highly-placed Nigerians, political leaders and governors could not scale through the discreet checks,” the source said.

It was reported that five factors determined the appointment of ministers by President Buhari, they are, strict adherence to principle of non-interference in choosing his cabinet, integrity or pedigree; selfless service; old acquaintances and less exposure to political influence.

READ ALSO: Amaechi, Onu, Others Make Ministerial List

According to a highly-placed source within the presidency: “Buhari was his own man in choosing his cabinet, although he took certain factors into consideration. Those who came to advise him assisted in providing direction or guiding his mind. At a point, the APC leadership could not give exact situation of things.

“Apart from merit, Buhari gave ministerial slots to those who have the ability, those who can deliver and those he has trusted over the years, including those who worked with him in the former Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and those in the trenches with him in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He has rewarded selflessness, perseverance and loyalty,” the source said.

Following the apprehension that trailed the long delay in the release of the ministerial list, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, October 1 confirmed to Nigerians that he submitted the first set of ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.

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