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Ministerial list: PANDEF makes case for special persons, more women, youths

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has reacted to the ministers list unveiled by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Thursday, calling for the inclusion of persons with disabilities, more women and youths to have a balanced demographic representation.

The apex sociocultural group in the South South region of the country, however, stated that the list is made up of Nigerians, not from the moon, who must be ready to serve the country and not themselves.

National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Dr. Ken Robinson, while reacting to the ministerial list on behalf of the group on Thursday, said what matters most about the nominees was their commitment to delivering a new Nigeria.

“The list has been long expected in spite of all the speculations and permutations, 28 names and there are no major surprises – there are some very unfamiliar names, some are former governors, some past and serving senators …so it’s the same people and of course Tinubu couldn’t have picked them from the moon; they’re all Nigerians – people who had worked with him; people who have been in the system.

“Whether it is APDC or EF, wherever the person comes from is from the same Nigeria and the constitution requires each state to produce a minister.

“What matters most about these persons from wherever they’re coming is their commitment to repositioning Nigeria in whatever ministry or portfolios they’re assigned.

“It is the commitment of the persons that matters. We’re not going to have angels from heaven to reposition Nigeria, it’s Nigerians that will change this country. And we need people that will go there to serve, not people to go and enrich themselves.

“If situations were to be evaluated accurately, that someone has been governors or senators for eight years places the person in some kind of better standing to be able to serve better.

“If the persons had made omissions, some mistakes in the past, this becomes an opportunity for him to correct the mistakes or omissions and offer true service to Nigeria, help the president to ensure that we shift away from the status quo and not go to serve themselves as some people had done in the past.

“These ones should serve the nation, making a difference and bringing about change to the sectors they’re assigned.

“Today everybody is pressed to a corner and everybody wants to react..resident doctors are on strike, the NLC, student bodies – everybody is under stress.

“The nominees should know this is a new era, a new dispensation, this is a call to service – a kind of service Nigerians desire to turn around every sector of the country. This is because everything depends on leadership.

“We, however, want to see the president giving attention to people living with disabilities, women and youths. Let every demographic in Nigeria be fully represented so that people will have a sense of belonging just as the constituted that each state must have a minister. PANDEF is not disappointed with the list.

“It’s a list of Nigerians, some of whom have served at various levels. They should know that this is the time to serve the people, not themselves,” Robinson admonished.

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Ebenezer Adurokiya

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