[size=14pt]Anxiety over possible cabinet shakeup [/size]
By Ayo Okulaja

The three-point recommendation of the Presidential Advisory Council that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan should fire his service chiefs, dissolve the executive council and call for three ministerial nominees from each state governor has left members of the Federal Executive Council worried about their future in the cabinet as they meet today.

“We are all very anxious and are only waiting for what will happen tomorrow (today). No one is sure of anything” said a minister from a middle belt state who asked not to be named.

A number of ministerial aides who spoke to NEXT said their principals have been showing a mix of anxiety and preparation for a possible exit.

A minister from the SouthWest reportedly told some of his staffers that the possible cabinet shake-up is unlikely to affect him.

Presidency officials said that the anxiety grew from the firing on Monday, of the National Security Adviser as well as the request by Mr. Jonathan that ministers give him a one-on-one update on the programmes of their ministry. This update itself created some bustle of activities in the presidency yesterday.

Security insiders said the total mix of Mr. Jonathan’s appointment and policy direction so far signals the outline of a man emerging from the shadows and quietly defining his own independence, contrary to his presumed status as the hand-maiden of the Obasanjo tradition.

The composition and particular leadership of the Presidential Advisory Council is unmistakenly anti-Obasanjo. Respect is made to the strong anti-Obasanjo character of Theophilus Danjuma and Ben Nwabueze.

According to an analyst, “I will describe the events of this week as a slam dunk for Jonathan and his politicking”.

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