By Our Reporter - 30.07.2007

Nigerian Tribune investigations revealed that the recently concluded ministerial screening was the last battle ground of the two groups with the new Yar’Adua caucus finally succeeding in taking the front seat in the new administration.

It was learnt that the final portfolio allocation was at variance with what was originally agreed upon between the Obasanjo camp and those of the president’s loyalists, with the Otta farmer‘s influence in the new administration said to have been drastically reduced.

Findings revealed that the original arrangement was to share the first class portfolios equally among nominees from the two camps so as to reflect the unity of relationship between the former and the present leadership.

This plan was said to have subsisted up till Wednesday, a day to the inauguration of the new ministers.

Problem reportedly started when some core loyalists of Yar’Adua cried foul over the arrangement, accusing the former president of setting the stage for the remote controlling of the Yar’Adua presidency.

The development reportedly led to the postponement of the inauguration earlier scheduled for Wednesday as well as the more than two hours’ delay in the commencement of the programme on Thursday.

The new Yar’Adua caucus was said to have argued that if Obasanjo did not allow the North to dictate his cabinet while he was the president, he should not be given that privilege under an Arewa presidency.

The group was also reported to have said that while it was true that Obasanjo played a prominent role in the making of the Yar’Adua presidency, he (Obasanjo) should not seize on that to dictate happenings as he too did not listen to the North which enthroned him in 1999.

Reports indicated that President Yar’Adua did not originally buy the idea until he was reminded that if he failed to put those he trusted in key positions, he might have himself to blame if things went wrong in the months ahead.

The president was also reportedly told that his loyalists insisted that he must distance himself from the Obasanjo legacy if he was to earn the confidence of Nigerians, with a provision that the cabinet portfolio was the major test for the president to show that he was his own man.

From Wednesday night, findings revealed that the pro-Obasanjo caucus lost the battle with the new president‘s caucus taking the centre stage.

Findings showed that the new caucus was made up of core North-West leaders who felt the former president betrayed the North with his conduct while in office, with a feeling that it would amount to further insult to the North for Obasanjo to be ruling from retirement.

Records, however, showed that not all those affected are Obasanjo boys, but they are not considered close enough to be trusted with sensitive portfolios in the first cabinet.