Nigerian cabinet shows Obasanjo clout

Mr Yar'Adua's new cabinet reveals the continued influence of his predecessor in the current administration.

Four ministers who served with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo now head key ministries in the new cabinet.

This move is also being seen as a fulfilment of Mr Yar'Adua's campaign promise to continue the economic reforms started by Mr Obasanjo.

Only two opposition members have been appointed as assistant ministers in the new cabinet, but Mr Yar'Adua has promised to bring in a few more later.

HAVE YOUR SAY Naming a new cabinet of the same old regulars will not help Nigeria achieve anything Stanley Atumah, Dallas, US Send us your comments

But Mr Yar'Adua's decision to also take on the position of energy minister suggests he might be serious about his vow to try and fix Nigeria's troubled power sector.

As energy minister, President Yar'Adua will directly oversee Nigeria's oil industry and power, a strategy adopted by Mr Obasanjo but which failed to yield results.

Insiders say Mr Yar'Adua's strategy is to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector and then appoint, Nasiru el-Rufai, former high-profile minister of the capital city, Abuja, to run it.

Olusegun Obasanjo still runs the ruling party

Mr Rufai's success in cleaning up Abuja's slums, his admirers say, mean he would fearless in taking on the powerful network of politicians that have resisted past attempts to fix the power sector.

In the new line up, two prominent leaders of the governing Peoples Democratic Party have also landed key positions as a reward for their roles in last April's landslide win for the party.

Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who once led a campaign to transform late military dictator Gen. Sani Abacha into a civilian leader, is now foreign affairs minister.

There are eight women in the cabinet.

Women occupied key positions such as finance and education ministers in Mr Obasanjo's government.

In the new cabinet, the women are in charge of education, health, solid minerals development while another will join Mr Yar'Adua as a junior minister in the energy ministry.

The choice of Dr Shamsudeen Usman, a former deputy governor of Nigeria's central bank as finance minister, analysts say, suggests that Mr Yar'Adua will sustain his predecessor's economic reforms.