NOW AT PRESIDENTIAL VILLA : Swearing-in ceremony of Ministers
The Conference Centre of the State House in Abuja is currently hosting the inauguration of the 45 confirmed ministers-designate.
President Bola Tinubu announced the portfolios for the appointees less than a week ago; among them are Festus Keyamo at the helm of the Ministry of Aviation and Nyesom Wike, the former governor of Rivers State.
Financial and Economic Coordinating Minister Wale Edun is joined by Transport Minister Adegboyega Oyetola, Works Minister David Umahi, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo, and Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu.
Listed in their entirety below:
B. Osun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and the Digital Economy
Ishak Salaco, Minister of Ecology and the Environment
Financial and Economic Coordinating Minister Wale Edun
Bunmi Tunji, Minister of Fisheries and the Blue Economy
Adedayo Adelabu, Minister of Power
Health and Social Welfare Minister Alausa of Tunisia
Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake
Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism
Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Transport
Doris Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment
Uche Nnaji, Minister for Innovation, Science, and Technology
Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment
Uju Kennedy, Minister of Women’s Affairs
The Hon. David Umahi, Minister of Works
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Transportation and Aerospace Development
Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Youth and Sports
Humanitarian Aid and Poverty Reduction Minister Betta Edu
Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Gas Resources
Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources
John Enoh, Minister for the Promotion of Sports
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike
Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy
Mohammed Badaru, Defence Minister
Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence
Yusuf T. Sunumu, Minister of State for Education
Ahmed M. Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development
Abdullah T. Gwarzo, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development
Atiku Bagudu, Minister for Financial and Economic Planning
Mairiga Mahmud, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
Bello M. Goronyo, Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation
Farmer and Food Security Minister Abubakar Kyar
Tahir Maman, Minister of Education
Sa’Idu A. Alkali is the Minister of Interior.
Yusuf M. Tuggar, Foreign Minister
Minister for Health and Social Services Coordination Ali Pate
Ibrahim Geidam, Minister of Public Safety
U. Maigari Ahmadu, Minister of State for Steel Development
Shuaibu A. Audu, Minister of Steel Development
Orientation and Information Minister Muhammed Idris
Lateef Fagbemi is the Federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
Employment and Labour Minister Simon B. Lalong
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of State for Police Affairs
Zephaniah Jisalo, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs
Water and Sanitation Minister Joseph Utsev
Food and Agriculture Minister Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
Kaduna State Minister of Environment and Ecology
El-Rufai’s Approval Is Pending
Since the Senate refused to confirm Nasir-El-Rufai, Stella Okotete (Delta State), and Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State) over pending security clearances, he has been in the centre of the storm.
Over a week after Tinubu sent a 28-person roster to the red chamber on July 27, when the list was supposed to be confirmed, it was rejected.
A “strong petition” against him raised security concerns, so questions about that topic came up during his screening. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, however, told the ex-governor not to “bother” addressing the issue because the Senate was not responsible for such petitions.
El-Rufai was allegedly at odds with the Presidency after he was denied confirmation a few days later.
The former FCT minister made a mysterious post on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday.
The former governor’s post, which included a lyric from a song by the late Jamaican singer Bob Marley called “Who the Cap Fit,” sparked rumours that his opponents in the confirmation process were traitors.
Reassignments in advance
Former Osun State governor and current minister-designate Adegboyega Oyetola was moved from the Ministry of Transportation to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy yesterday by Tinubu.
Additionally, Abubakar Momoh, a former nominee to lead the Federal Ministry of Youth, has been moved to lead the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
According to presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, “the Federal Ministry of Youth is to be re-assigned to a Minister-Designate soon,” with immediate effect.
Minister-designate Bunmi Tunji-Ojo was moved to the Ministry of the Interior, and Sa’idu Alkali was moved to the Ministry of Transportation, per Ngelale’s reporting.
Tests for a full week
The Senate conducted preliminary interviews on July 31 with former governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Abubakar Kyari of Borno State, Nkiruka Onyejeocha of Abia State, Bello Muhammad of Sokoto State, Sani Abubakar Danladi of Taraba State, and Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State.
Also checked out were residents of the states of Benue (Joseph Utsev), Ondo (Olubunmi Tunji Ojo), Cross River (Betta Edu), Anambra (Uju Kennedy Ohaneye), Edo (Abubakar Momoh), Cross River (John Enoh), Nasarawa (Iman Suleiman Ibrahim), and Bauchi (Yusuf Maitama Tuggar).
On Tuesday, the Senate repeated the process for former governors Wale Edun, Uche Nnaji, Stella Okotete, Adebayo Adelabu, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Hannatu Musawa, and Musa Dangiwa, as well as Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi).
Dele Alake, Lateef Fagbemi, Muhammad Idris, Ali Pate, and Doris Uzoka were all screened by the red chamber the following day.
Last Wednesday, Tinubu sent the Senate a second list of nominees, which included 19 new names. Two days later, the President replaced Maryam Shetty of Kano State with Festus Keyamo and Mariya Mahmoud after she withdrew her nomination.
It was announced on Friday that the Senate had conducted preliminary interviews with Zephaniah Jisalo, Shuaibu Audu, Yusuf Sununu, Bello Matawalle, Alkali Saidu, Ahmed Gwarzo, Atiku Bagudu, Simon Lalong, Ibrahim Gaidam, Aliu Abdullahi, Gboyega Oyetola, Heineken Lokpobiri, and Tunji Alausa.
Lola Ade-John, Bosun Tijani, Isaak Salako, Tahir Mamman, and Maigari Ahmadu joined the screening on Saturday at Senate.
Today we finished up the exercise by watching Mahmoud and Keyamo.
