Almost a week after they were cleared by the Senate, the 38 ministerial nominees selected by the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, will be inaugurated today at the presidential villa.

A statement released by the presidency yesterday, stated that the inauguration will take place at the Council Chambers of the presidential villa,at noon.

The nominees were screened in specially organised sittings of the Senate, which held back to conclude the job before it proceeded on a two-week recess. David Mark, the Senate President, said his colleagues rushed the screening of the nominees in the interest of the country. Mr. Mark also advised the Acting President to sack any of the ministers who fails to perform.

The ministers were picked from all the states of the federation, except Taraba, whose nominee was rejected, and Ebonyi State.

"We have spent several hours to be able to screen and confirm the ministers. It is our wish and hope that once these ministers are allocated their portfolios and when they resume, they will earnestly do what they promised us here," Mr. Mark said.

The ministers will be assigned portfolios during the ceremony.

Lobbying intensified

Meanwhile, NEXT gathered that the ministers, their supporters, and different interest groups, have intensified lobbying to make sure their nominees get choice ministries.

A source at the presidency said this was the reason for the shifting of the inauguration from last week Thursday to today.

The cabinet was dissolved on March 17, 2010 by Mr. Jonathan, who has had a testy relation with the cabinet he inherited from his boss, Umaru Yar'Adua.


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