The inauguration of the 45 confirmed ministers-designate is being held at the Conference Centre of the State House, Abuja.
Watch the event live:
This comes less than a week after President Bola Tinubu released the portfolios for the appointees, including former Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike in charge of the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Festus Keyamo manning the Ministry of Aviation.
Some other ministers are Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Adegboyega Oyetola (Transportation), David Umahi (Works), Festus Keyamo (Aviation and Aerospace Development), and Betta Edu (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation).
See the full list below:
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani
Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management, Ishak Salaco
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Bunmi Tunji
Minister of Power, Adedayo Adelabu
Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare, Tunisia Alausa
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake
Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John
Minister of Transportation, Adegboyega Oyetola
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
Minister of Works, David Umahi
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo
Minister of Youth, 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
Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh
Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike
Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa
Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru
Minister of State Defence, Bello Matawalle
Minister of State Education, Yusuf T. Sunumu
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed M. Dangiwa
Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, Abdullah T. Gwarzo
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu
Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Mairiga Mahmud
Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello M. Goronyo
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyar
Minister of Education, Tahir Maman
Minister of Interior, 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
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi
Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon B. Lalong
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
Minister of Environment and Ecological Management, (Kaduna)
El-Rufai’s Pending Clearance
Nasir-El-Rufai has been in the eye of the storm, since the Senate’s refusal to confirm the former Kaduna State governor earlier this month, as well as Stella Okotete (Delta State) and Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State) over pending security clearances.
The non-confirmation came over a week after Tinubu’s transmission of a 28-member list to the red chamber on July 27.
During his screening, he was quizzed on a “strong petition” against him bordering on security issues presumably in his state. However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked the ex-governor not to “bother” addressing the issue as the Senate was not in charge of such petitions.
Days later, he was denied confirmation, leading to an alleged friction between El-Rufai and the Presidency.
On Sunday, the one-time FCT minister posted a cryptic message on X, formerly Twitter.
Quoting lyrics from the late Jamaican singer Bob Marley’s ‘Who The Cap Fit’, the former governor’s post drew speculation over seeming traitors in light of his non-confirmation.
VIDEO – Bob Marley of blessed memory is one of most talented musicians of all time. My love for reggae music is connected with his songs and music.
Who The Cap Fit – Bob Marley & The Wailers is one of my favorites from the 1970s. Enjoy your Sunday with the song and lyrics that…
— Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) August 20, 2023
Early Redeployments
Tinubu on Sunday redeployed ex-Governor of Osun State and minister-designate, Adegboyega Oyetola, from the Ministry of Transportation to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
The President also redeployed another minister-designate, Abubakar Momoh, from the Federal Ministry of Youth to the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
“The Federal Ministry of Youth is to be re-assigned to a Minister-Designate soon,” said presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, adding that the changes take immediate effect.
According to Ngelale, Tinubu also redeployed minister-designate Bunmi Tunji-Ojo to the Ministry of Interior while Sa’idu Alkali was redeployed as the Minister of Transportation.
Week-Long Screening
On July 31, the Senate screened former governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike; Abubakar Kyari of Borno State; Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia State); Bello Muhammad (Sokoto State); Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State); and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa State).
Others screened were Joseph Utsev (Benue State), Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo State), Betta Edu (Cross River State), Uju Kennedy Ohaneye (Anambra State), Abubakar Momoh (Edo State), John Enoh (Cross River State), Iman Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa State), and Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi State).
The Senate on Tuesday underwent the same procedure for ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Wale Edun, Uche Nnaji, Stella Okotete, Adebayo Adelabu, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Hannatu Musawa, and Musa Dangiwa.
The following day, the red chamber screened Dele Alake, Lateef Fagbemi and Muhammad Idris, Ali Pate, and Doris Uzoka.
Tinubu went on to send a supplementary list of 19 nominees to the Senate last Wednesday. Two days later, the President withdrew the nomination of Maryam Shetty of Kano State from the list, replacing her with Festus Keyamo and Mariya Mahmoud.
On Friday, the Senate screened 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.
The screening continued at Senate on Saturday with Lola Ade-John, Bosun Tijani, Isiak Salako, Tahir Mamman, and Maigari Ahmadu.
The exercise concluded today with the screening of Mahmoud and then Keyamo.