...Barkindo, Waziri, may be fired

Federal Ministers appointed by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua have begun moving things out of their various offices as a cabinet dissolution fever hits Abuja, Niger Delta Standard report.

Impeccable sources indicated that this week might prove decisive for the cabinet as Acting President Goodluck Jonathan gets ready to put his own team in place.

Only last week, Jonathan abandoned the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa Council chambers in favour of an international conference on Agriculture.

The Ministers, who were already seated, awaiting the start of the meeting, which had been postponed in the morning, were later dispersed by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Yayale Ahmed, who explained that Jonathan was fatigued from attending the conference. It was the second time Jonathan would call off the meeting of the FEC since the sneaky return of Yar’Adua some three weeks ago.

Niger Delta Standard investigations revealed that the cabinet would have been dissolved last week by Jonathan but for the intervention of the newly appointed National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau, who sought further verification of the health status of ailing President Yar’Adua.

Series of meetings over the last week have further strengthened Jonathan’s hand as it was confirmed that, contrary to the propaganda of his cronies, Yar’Adua is not recovering significantly.

Our sources say he is simply lying in the villa, unable to move without assistance, or speak. Also, as a mark of respect for the Yar’Adua family, unconfirmed sources say Jonathan is believed to have conceded 5 ministerial positions and one Special adviser position to his wife, Turai. We could not confirm the portfolios allocated to her.

Meanwhile, Jonathan secretly met with Yar’Adua’s mother on Friday night in a highly secretive parley, following which she also met with the new NSA, Gusau.

The NSA is fast becoming the most influential figure in the Jonathan regime. So far, over 17 state governors have met with him to pledge their allegiance. Some of them, particularly Bukola Saraki, have met with him twice as the NSA had declared that he would like to strengthen the Anti-Corruption agencies. That is allegedly being interpreted by Saraki to mean that the super-corrupt and incompetent head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Nzamber Waziri, may be fired soon.

Our sources say, however, that Mrs. Waziri’s removal may be slightly delayed as Jonathan and Gasau are more interested in the dissolution of the cabinet.

Our correspondent also learnt that the Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo , will be sacked in the impending government and cabinet reorganization of the government of Jonathan.