Maku, Wike, others to quit by Monday

The minister, who spoke at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Akwanga, also said none of the ministers seeking elective positions in 2015 would stay longer than October 20 in Jonathan’s cabinet.
The PDP primaries guidelines provide that political appointees are to resign by October 20 if they intend to seek elective positions on its platform.
Yesterday, a spokesman said the Minister for State of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike, is resigning this week in preparation to contest for the governorship seat in Rivers State.
“My oga is likely going to resign after the FEC meeting this week. We have intended to issue a statement in that respect but we could not do so due to some engagements but all things being equal we will do so this week,” Wike’s spokesman Simeon Nwakaudu told Daily Trust by telephone yesterday.
“I am sure he will not stay in office up to Friday this week because he has already cleared the air about this issue.”
Other ministers with governorship ambitions include Bala Mohammed (FCT), Oyebuchi Chukwu (Ebonyi), Emeka Wogu (Abia), Bashir Yuguda (State for Finance), Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos), Darius Dickson Ishaku (State for Niger Delta) and Samuel Ortom (State for Trade and Investment)
It is not clear if the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had issued a directive for ministers seeking elective positions to resign accordingly.
Contacted, SGF’s spokesman Sam Nwaobasi said: “I don’t know if there is a directive.”
At the thanksgiving, Maku said it was time for him to sacrifice the comfort of his ministerial job for the governorship race in order to stop the killings in his home state and liberate his people.
He announced a N7.6 million donation from his family and friends for the Cathedral in Lafia, and said all he had achieved since 1999 was by God’s grace.
Maku said he rose from grass to grace through God’s favour as he was born to peasant farmers who did not even record his date of birth in a small village.
In his homily, Rev. Jerry Ngbaya said with God, a meaningless life, the Ebola Virus Disease and terrorism would not last forever in Nigeria stressing “in His time, God will remove all obstacles from our country Nigeria.”