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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
There are strong indications that President Bola Tinubu might give additional Ministerial slot to Kaduna State, aside the already appointed Nasir El-rufai.
This, according a credible source close to the seat of power, was part of political calculation to make further in- road in the North as well as to compensate the North West zone in particular for voting massively for Tinubu and the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2023 General election..
The source who didn’t want his name in print, told reporters in Kaduna that a former Governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Honourable Sani Shaaban is being considered for the second Ministerial slot for Kaduna State.
Shaaban, a former member of the House of Representatives and a close ally of President Tinubu, was the ACN Governorship Candidate in Kaduna State during the 2011 Governorship election, won by the then PDP candidate, Ibrahim Yakowa.
A chattered Accountant by profession, Shaaban is also an international businessman and a member of the Royal house in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Although the source said the President is stuck between picking the second minister from either Kaduna or Kano State, but he disclosed that the odds favour Shaaban due to his close relationship with President Tinubu and also as a foundation member of the ACN, founded by Tinubu while he was Governor of Lagos State.
According to the source, with the appointment of Nasir El-Rufai, which allegedly did not go down well with some people, picking Shaaban as the second minister from Kaduna State, will not only bring about the desired stability in the North, but will also help to galvanise more support base for his re- election in 2027.
It was also argued that the choice of Shaaban from Kaduna State is based on the fact that the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibril and former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who has been reportedly anointed by President Bola Tinubu as the next National Chairman of the APC, are both from Kano State.
Shaaban was said to have met with President Bola Tinubu in Saudi Arabia in company of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu during the recent lesser Hajj in Mecca.
