Former National Security Adviser Gen. Aliu Gasua may return as new minister of Defence as President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday presented 12 new ministerial nominees and four service chiefs to the senate for confirmation.
Gen. Gusau was reported to have already handed to president Jonathan a 21 agenda on how to handle the unending security challenge in the land.
The final presentation of only 12 nominees to the senate yesterday may have doused the long anxiety over alleged planned major cabinet change by the president. The nominees if confirmed can only replace the ten ministers who were sacked last year by the president.
Top on the list of ministerial nominees are the former National Security Adviser Gen. Aliu Guasau Mohammed (rtd)(Zamfara)Ambassador of Nigeria to Ghana senator Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos), his Chinese counter Ambassador Aminu Wali, former majority leader in the House of Representatives Hon. Mohammed Wakil(Borno).
The president in a letter to the senate president senator David Mark and read on the floor of the senate yesterday also presented former governor of Adamawa state Boni Haruna , Hadjia Jamillia Salik(Kano) Mrs Akon Etim Eyakenyi(AkwaIbom) , Dr T. W, Danagogo(Rivers ) Alhji Abduijelilli Adesiyan(Osun) Asabe Asmau Ahmed and Dr Khaliru Alhassan.
The presentation of the 12 nominees for confirmation is in accordance with section 147(2) of the 1999 constitution. President in the letter also said ‘it is my hope that this exercise will receive the usual kind expeditious consideration of the Distinguished members of the senate of the Federal Republic’
The president in another letter to the senate president read on the floor of the senate yesterday presented former Chief of Air Staff Air Marshall Alex Badeh to the lawmakers for confirmation as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Also for formation are Major Gen,. KENNETH Minimah as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin as Chief Naval Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu Chief of Air staff.
This is the firs time a president has sent the names of service chiefs to senate for conformation. President Jonathan in the letter to the senate president yesterday explained that the presentation of the service chiefs for conformation was ‘in compliance with the provisions of section 18(1) of the arms forces Cap. A 20 laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.