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Buhari Creates Five New Federal Ministries
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday announced the creation of five new ministries.
The new ministries are Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Police Affairs, Special Duties and International Affairs; Aviation; and Power.
The aviation ministry was initially part of the transportation ministry and was headed by Hadi Sirika, who was then the minister of state for aviation.
The power ministry was initially part of the ministry of power, works and housing.
The president announced this while assigning portfolios to the newly sworn-in ministers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“I am pleased to inform you that the federal ministries have been further expanded to ensure effective service delivery,” the president said.
The new Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is headed by Sadiya Umar (Zamfara) while the Ministry of Special Duties and International Affairs is headed by George Akume from Benue.
Muhammadu Dingyadi from Sokoto State is the Minister of the new Ministry of Police Affairs. Hadi Sirika is now full-fledged Minister of Aviation while Sale Mamman is the Minister of Power.
NAN observed that the Ministry of Power was separated from the former Ministry of Works, Power and Housing which was headed by Babatunde Fashola, who is now the Minister of Works and Housing.
President Buhari will retain the Ministry of Petroleum while Timipre Sylva is the Minister of State Petroleum Resources.
Some other members of the old team who returned either had their jobs trimmed or got a raise in their responsibilities.
Lai Mohammed returns to the Ministry of Information and Culture as Ogbonnaya Onu returns to the Ministry of Science and Technology. But unlike Mr Mohammed, Mr Onu is to be assisted by a Minister of State, Mohammed Abdullahi.
Others who retained their positions are Muhammed Bello (Federal Capital Territory) Adamu Adamu (Education), Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment), and Geoffrey Onyeama (Foreign Affairs).
Hadi Sirika takes full charge as Minister of Aviation, while Chibuike Amaechi is now transportation minister, without the aviation component.
Suleiman Adamu returns to the Ministry of Water Resources while Zainab Ahmed is back to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
Abubakar Malami retains his post as Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation and Babatunde Fashola keeps the Ministry of Works and Housing without the Power segment.
Ikechukwu Ogah, a fresh hand, is Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development; Godswill Akpabio (Minister of Niger Delta Affairs) and Festus Keyamo is Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs.
Sabo Nanono is the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources; retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Salihi Magash (Minister of Defence) and Ramatu Tijjani (Minister of State, FCT.)
Muhammed Mahmud is Minister of Environment; Sharon Ikeazor (Minister of State, Environment) and Maryam Katagun is the Minister of State, Trade and Industry.
Others are Adeleke Mamora (State, Health); Mohammed Abdullahi (State, Science & Tech.); Zubair Dada (State, Foreign Affairs); Olamilekan Adegbite (Mines & Steel Development) and Tayo Alasoadura (Ministry of State, Labour and Productivity)
Former governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, is now Minister of Interior; Sunday Dare (Youth and Sports Development) while Paulen Tallen is the Minister of Women Affairs.
The Presidency has dismissed claims that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent comments were directed at the political situation in Rivers State or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s constitutional decisions on the matter.
In a statement on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the Presidency described the reports as a “gross misrepresentation.”
The statement clarified that Vice President Shettima’s remarks at the public presentation of a book by former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), were misconstrued by some online platforms and individuals.
“These reports have distorted the Vice President’s comments in pursuit of a mischievous agenda,” it stated.
“They twisted his account of how the administration of former President Jonathan considered removing him as Borno Governor during the insurgency to falsely link it with current events in Rivers State.”
The Vice President, who spoke at the launch of OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block in Abuja on Thursday, was said to have referenced the past solely to commend Adoke’s professionalism while in office, and to reflect on Nigeria’s constitutional evolution regarding federal and state relations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu did not remove Governor Fubara from office. The constitutional measure implemented was a suspension, not an outright removal.
“This action was taken in response to the grave political crisis in Rivers State at the time, with the governor facing a looming impeachment and the State Assembly complex under demolition,” Nkwocha clarified.
The Presidency insisted that the action taken by President Tinubu in declaring a state of emergency and suspending the Governor was fully in line with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which authorises such measures when there is a breakdown of public order requiring extraordinary intervention.
According to the statement, the President’s proclamation invoking Section 305(2) was subsequently ratified by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the National Assembly, confirming the legitimacy and constitutional propriety of the decision.
“The action of President Tinubu in suspending Mr. Fubara and others from exercising the functions of office averted the governor’s outright removal. To conflate suspension with removal is misleading,” the statement further noted.
Nkwocha also stressed that Vice President Shettima’s comments were delivered extemporaneously and intended to underline the importance of public accountability and historical documentation.
He referenced the Vice President’s mention of past public servants, including Adoke and former Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to illustrate principled leadership.
“His remarks were not in any way a criticism of President Tinubu’s actions, which the Vice President and the entire administration fully support and stand by without reservation,” the spokesman stated.
The Vice President, the statement added, remains in “loyal concert” with President Tinubu and is committed to implementing all constitutional measures necessary to safeguard democracy and uphold order across the country.
Concluding, the Presidency called on media organisations and political actors to desist from misrepresenting public remarks for sensational or partisan purposes.
“We urge media organisations and political actors to desist from the destructive practice of wrenching statements from context in order to fabricate nonexistent conflicts,” Nkwocha said.
Headlines
Akpabio Relieves Natasha of Committee Chairmanship Position, Appoints Akwa Ibom Senator As Replacement
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has replaced suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora/Non-Governmental Organisations.
In her place, Akpabio named Senator Bassey Aniekun Etim (Akwa Ibom -East).
The Senate President, who made the announcement on the floor in Abuja on Thursday, did not give any reasons.
The committee position had remained vacant since March when the Senate suspended the Kogi-Central Senatorial District lawmaker for six months for flouting the Senate’s rule on the seating arrangement and seat allocation.
The suspended lawmaker, at a point, chaired the Senate Committee on Local Content before Akpabio reassigned her to the Committee on Diaspora/NGO, shortly before she ran into trouble with the Senate over her conduct on seat allocation.
The Supreme Court has affirmed the 2024 governorship election victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo.
In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, the apex court ruled that the appeal lacked merit. It upheld the earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had both declared Okpebholo the validly elected governor.
