TORONTO - National Post CEO Paul Godfrey is set to become the new chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

Government officials say Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has nominated Godfrey, a well-known Progressive Conservative, to oversee the troubled corporation.

The government says Godfrey is a good choice because he brings a wealth of political experience and a proven track record as a well-respected businessman.

The OLG has been overseen by bureaucrats since August, when the corporation's former chair resigned after Duncan fired chief executive Kelly McDougald.

Godfrey is the former president of the Toronto Sun and head of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The nomination is still subject to a review by the legislature's standing committee on government agencies.

A sweeping forensic audit of the lottery corporation in February showed lottery insiders in the province had won $198 million in prizes over the past 13 years.

When it fired McDougald, the Liberal government released thousands of pages of what it called unacceptable expenses filed by lottery corporation executives.