Jonathan in talks with Tinubu, Akume, Akande, Ngige, others

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is still exploring all options to put together  a cabinet that will drive his transformation agenda in the next four years.

On this score, he met behind closed doors yesterday with the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in Aso Rock, as part of efforts to carry all stakeholders along.

Although the outcome of the secret talks was not immediately clear, Tinubu told State House correspondents that the meeting went very well and was very successful, saying that “opposition is not about axes, cutlasses and dane guns.”

The president also met publicly with leaders of major political parties in the country where he called on them to join hands with his government for the country’s transformation.

The leadership of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, was however absent at the meeting, which held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

This is coming as the President appointed the President of the Nigerian Economic Society, NES, Dr. Kenneth Adeyemi, as an Honorary Adviser on Economic Matters as indications emerged that Mrs Deziani Allison-Madueke may not be reappointed as Petroleum Minister.

In an opening remark at the meeting which other parties including ACN; All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP; All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA; and Labour Party, LP, among others in attendance, President Jonathan said despite their political differences,  major political leaders must work with the government to ensure that Nigerians get the dividends of democracy.

“No matter who is the President, no matter who is the governor, what Nigerians are interested in is to have food on the table, there should be infrastructure, there should be security and there should be good governance. And I know that not only the ruling party alone can make this possible. For me to succeed, to give Nigerians what they want, we must run a stable government. It needs the cooperation of all the political parties, all the leaders,” he said.

Those in attendance were Bello Mohammed, Chairman of PDP; Kao Baraje, Secretary of PDP and Olusola Oke, Legal Adviser, PDP; Bisi Akande, Chairman ACN; Alhaji Bola Tinubu; Chris Ngige; and George Akume.
Source