Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assigned portfolios to his ministerial nominees who have been cleared by the Senate to form his cabinet, promised to kick start work first day of inauguration, mentioning his government would be constituted before the first 30 days
The designation was announced to journalists by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale on Wednesday which is barely 79 days after Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023.
The designation had past governors who were believed to have worked for the President during the election, including former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, designated as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
While Senator Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) as Minister of Works; Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Minister of Transportation; Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Minister of Budget and Economic Planning.
Also were Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Minister of State Defence; Simon B. Lalong (Plateau), Minister of Labour and Employment; Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa), Minister of Defence.
Festus Keyamo and Dele Alake who served as the spokesmen for the Tinubu campaign organisation were designated as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and Minister of Solid Minerals Development respectively.
According to the list, Mr. Wale Edun is the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, while Bunmi Tunji is the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy is Bosun Tijani; Ishak Salako, Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management.
The Minister of Power is Adedayo Adelabu; Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa; Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John.
Other portfolios include Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite; Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy
The Minister of Youth is Abubakar Momoh; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; Minister of State, Gas Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, while Senator John Enoh is the Minister of Sports Development.
The Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of State Education, Yusuf T. Sununu; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed M. Dangiwa, and Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, Abdullah T. Gwarzo.
Others are Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Mairiga Mahmoud; Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello M. Goronyo; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyar, and Minister of Education, Tahir Maman.
The Minister of Interior is, Sa’Idu A. Alkali; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf M. Tuggar; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate; Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam.
Minister of State, Steel Development, U. Maigari Ahmadu; Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu A. Audu, and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of State, Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim; Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Govermental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.
Meanwhile, no one was designated yet as senior Minister of Petroleum, recall during the immediate past Muhammadu Buhari led government, the position was vacant as Buhari was said to have acted himself in position as Minister of Petroleum.
Also, a close look at the list revealed the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs appeared to have been scrapped as it was not represented on the ministerial portfolio.
However, by regional distribution into geo-political zones, going by the portfolios, the Northwest has 10 ministers, five senior and five ministers of state.
It was observed no person yet to replace Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for Kaduna state, which is expected to occupy the Environment, Ecological Management Ministry. El-Rufai and two others had suffered before the Senate which refused to approve their nomination over questions bordering on security issues.
Recalled that the Senate had of the 48 man list submitted before it by the President, confirmed 45, but set aside El-Rufai who is one among the three nominees who were dropped by the upper chamber.