Revealed! How Amaechi Blocked Tonye Cole From Becoming Minister

Eniola Ajayi

Details available to societynow.ng have it that up till the last minute – just before it was submitted to the Senate for screening – the name of Tonye Cole, the co-founder and former Group Executive Director at Sahara Group was on the list of ministerial nominees handed by leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress – and related stakeholders – to President Muhammed Buhari for approval.

Insiders disclosed that Cole who was the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Rivers state – but was denied opportunity to take part in the election by the Independent Electoral Commission – made the list based on the fierce push by a myriad of political interests.

‘’Cole had the major backing of the major players and a large percentage of the people in the Presidency to become Minister’’ societynow.ng learned.

‘’Interestingly, Cole was been pushed to become Minister at the expense of his political mentor Amaechi’’ societynow.ng learned.

Amaechi was fighting for own survival and putting all he had into getting re-appointed as a Minister.

Insiders disclosed Amaechi was a lone ranger in the fight and Cole appeared to have carried the day based on the forces rooting for him but for President Buhari who chose to use his discretion.

‘’The President swapped the names, replaced Cole with Amaechi on the list when it got to his desk’’ a source stated.

‘’What happened was that Amaechi’s enemies within the APC simply closed ranks and backed Cole against his political mentor but Buhari saved him at the last minute’’ a source stated.

The effect of the development on the relationship between Cole and Amaechi remains to be seen.