Fashola, Onyeama, Saraki , Others, ‘W
Dr Chris Ngige, Senator Godswill Akpabio and others taking the oath of office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
President Muhammadu Buhari, a few hours ago, sworn in new set of ministers that will play strategic role in executing his ‘Next Level’ agenda. APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole , Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governors Kayode Fayemi and Gboyega Oyetola were among dignitaries at the swearing-in ceremony that took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Alhaji Hadi Sirika, Rotimi Amaechi, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Dr Chris Ngige, Adamu Adamu and others not only returned to the cabinet but also retained their portfolios.
Raji Fashola Remains ‘Most Engaged’ Minister
Former Lagos state governor, Raji Fashola , has retained status as the ‘most engaged’ member of the cabinet. Team@orientmags.com learned that ahead of the formation of the new cabinet, unbundling the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing , was considered a fait accompli while others even added that Fashola may eventually get a less important portfolio. Former governor of Osun state , Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was tipped as possible Works minister. Ultimately , the former governor still succeeded in jealously keeping the Works and Housing portfolio. The portfolio assigned to Aregbesola is however, strategic considering the intrigues surrounding 2023 presidential ambitions of the APC leaders as the Inspector General of Police will report to him as the Interior minister.
Festus Keyamo Fails To Displace Malami
Abubakar Mallami who served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the last dispensation has also been returned in same capacity . Popular Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo who had had his name mentioned as possible Attorney General and Minister of Justice, was eventually named as Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs. Same applied in the case of Sunday Dare who was also mentioned as possible Information minister. Geofrey Onyeama equally survived the odds as he not only returned to the cabinet but also got reappointed as Foreign Affairs minister. Onyeama who hails from Enugu state had the state APC Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, standing against his nomination as he issued a statement on behalf of the party a day after the list of ministerial nominees was released by the presidency and not only asked that Onyeama’s nomination be withdrawn but that he should not also be allowed to serve in the Foreign Affair ministry. Describing Geoffrey’s nomination by the president as a ‘terrible mistake’, Nwoye, had added that reappointing him into the federal executive council will further destroy the party in Enugu state. Not done yet, the party also asked the senate to carry out proper investigation into the allegation of tax evasion by Onyeama, alleging that he lied on oath during his screening by the 8th senate
Gbemisola Saraki Secures A Safe Haven
Daughter of the late Second Republic Minister, Dr Olusola Saraki , Gbemisola, who is among the new faces in the federal cabinet will serve as Minister of State, Transportation. It is considered a familiar terrain as she once served as Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport. The former Senator who is in the good books of the majority of the power brokers in the APC must have ostensibly pleaded for a ‘friendly’ environment taking into cognizance the battle for supremacy usually recorded between ministers and the ministers of state. Interestingly, she is to serve as junior minister under Rotimi Amaechi, Gbemisola and Amaechi , will , no doubt, enjoy good and effective working relationship. Team@orientmags.com gathered that apart from being friends and having mutual friends like Gov. Nasir El-Rufai and Oshiomole , they also have one thing in common which centers on the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki. While Gbemisola and Bukola who have now turned political enemies started off as children of same parents sharing family love and having a common interest , Amaechi and the former Kwara state governor, were also best of friends and they were quite very close before things fell apart. Dr Bukola Saraki who holds under his sleeves the record of being the longest serving Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and who made the NGF enjoy political virility and relevance also ensured he was succeeded by Amaechi . The former Rivers state governor who had a few years earlier served as Chairman , Conference of Speakers emerged as NGF chair at the valedictory meeting held in honour of Bukola Saraki in Ilorin, Kwara state , on May 24th ,2011.
The Full List
1. Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah – Abia, Mines, and Steel Development, State 2. Muhammed Musa Bello – Adamawa, FCT 3. Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio – Akwa Ibom, Niger Delta 4. Chris Ngige – Anambra, Labour & Employment 5. Sharon Ikeazor – Anambra, Environment, State 6. Adamu Adamu – Bauchi, Education 7. Amb Maryam Katagum – Bauchi, Industry, Trade and Investment, State 8.Timipre Silva – Bayelsa, Petroleum, State 9. Sen. George Akume – Benue, Special Duties 10. Mustapha Baba Shehuri – Borno, Agriculture, State 11. Godwin Jedi-Agba – Cross River, Power, State 12. Festus Keyamo – Delta, Niger Delta, State 13. Ogbonnaya Onu – Ebonyi, Science, and Technology 14. Dr. Osagie Ehanire – Edo, Health 15. Clement Ikanade Agba – Edo, Budget and National Planning, State 16. Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo – Ekiti, Industry, Trade, and Investment 17. Geoffrey Onyeama – Enugu, Foreign Affairs 18. Dr. Ali Isa Pantami – Gombe, Communication 19. Emeka Nwajuba – Imo, Education, State 20. Suleiman Adamu – Jigawa, Water Resources 21. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed – Kaduna, Finance, Budget, and National Planning 22. Dr. Mohammad Mahmoud – Kaduna, Environment 23. Mohammed Sabo Nanono – Kano, Agriculture 24. Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) – Kano, Defence 25. Hadi Sirika – Katsina, Aviation 26. Abubakar Malami – Kebbi, HAGF and Minister of Justice 27. Ramatu Tijani Aliyu – Kogi, FCT, State 28. Lai Mohammed – Kwara, Information and Culture 29. Gbemisola Saraki – Kwara, Transportation, State 30. Babatunde Raji Fashola – Lagos, Works and Housing 31. Adeleke Mamora – Lagos, Health, State 32. Mohammed A. Abdullahi – Nasarawa, Science & Tech, State 33. Amb. Zubairu Dada – Niger, Foreign Affairs, State 34.Olamilekan Adegbite – Ogun, Mines & Steel Development 35. Sen. Omotayo Alasuadura – Ondo, Labour, State 36. Rauf Aregbesola – Osun, Interior 37. Sunday Dare – Oyo, Youth, and Sports 38. Dame Pauline Tallen – Plateau, Women Affairs 39. Rotimi Amaechi – Rivers, Transportation 40. Mohammed Maigari Dangyadi – Sokoto, Police Affairs 41. Engr. Sale Mamman – Taraba, Power 42. Abubakar D. Aliyu – Yobe, Works and Housing, State 43. Sadiya Umar Faruk – Zamfara, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development
