News Report: Immediate Past Information Minister Is Nigerian President's "Eyes" In Ojukwu's Party

Professor Akunyili

The immediate past Nigerian Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili is the "eyes" of the Nigerian President in the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), led by erstwhile rebel leader, rtd. Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, chidi opara reports have learnt from insiders in the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organization. Professor Akunyili recently resigned her ministerial position to contest for one of the senatorial seats in her home state, Anambra, South-eastern Nigeria, on the platform of APGA.

Inspite of extracting a "gentleman's agreement" from the APGA leader to the effect that the party would not present a presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2011 elections and that the party would support the President's re-election aspiration, influential members of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign organization, we learnt, insisted and convinced the President that there would be need for a trusted person inside APGA "to monitor things closely". They, chidi opara reports learnt further insisted that the person should be a South-easterner, since APGA is known to be essentially a party of the South-easterners.

When, according to our information, the former Minister, who initially wanted to contest on the platform of the President's party, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), was approached by the President, she demanded that she would be re-appointed a Minister in 2011 if she fail in her senatorial bid. It is not yet known if she got a commitment to this effect from the President.

chidi opara reports have also learnt that to be able to monitor things effectively in the party, the former Minister would be empowered to take over the leadership of the party at all levels in her senatorial zone.

This, however, may not be easy for the Professor of Pharmacology, as opposition against her scheme is reported to be mounting from existing party leaders in the senatorial zone.