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Profiles of Tinubu’s Ministerial nominees that have set the stage for more critical scrutiny by Nigerians
The much talked about ministerial list of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was unveiled on Thursday by the Nigerian Senate, and it has rather set the template for another round of criticisms, bashings especially as it has recycled many former ministers and former Governors and above all many former members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio unveiled the list comprising 28 ministerial nominees, and to the surprise of political observers as the political trajectory of Many of the nominees indicated they held prominent positions in the PDP, after serving as governors or ministers during the PDP’s days.
Many are wondering why, former ministers should again be recycled in a government that promised them hope.
Ex-Governor David Umahi
Umahi was a two-term Governor of Ebonyi State between 2015 and 2023.
The former Governor participated in the APC presidential primaries where he polled 38 votes to come a distant sixth in the election won by President Bola Tinubu.
After a prolonged battle in various courts, INEC recognised Umahi as the candidate for the district, from where he was subsequently elected as a first-timer at the 10th Senate.
Nkeiru Onyejeocha
Onyejocha was first elected in 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, then Nigeria’s ruling party, to represent the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State.
She defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2018 after coming under intense pressure from her former party leaders to drop her ambition for a return ticket to the House.
Onyejeocha served as Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.
Senator John Enoh
Sen. Enoh was born and raised in Agbokim
Waterfall community of Cross River State.
Enoh was a Senator in 2015 representing Central Senatorial District of Cross River State in the 8th Assembly of the Senate.
He was a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) up until May 2017 when he decamped to the ruling All progressive Congress (APC) and contested for governorship and lost to incumbent governor Ben Ayade.
Ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai
Nasir El-Rufai, is the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State and a founding member of the ruling APC.
He served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007 and played a significant role in restructuring the capital city.
Before being appointed Minister of the FCT, he was the director of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, a role he played successfully.
El-Rufai is a first-class graduate of Quantity Surveying from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Nyesome Wike
Wike is the immediate past Governor of Rivers State.
He contested the PDP presidential ticket but lost to Atiku Abubakar, a development that pitched him against his party.
Wike was believed to have worked against his party during the 2023 presidential election in Rivers, where Bola Tinubu of the APC was declared the winner.
The final result saw Tinubu polling 231,593 votes while Obi got 175,555 votes.
some of the eminent individuals on the list and their profiles. In no particular order, they are as follows:
Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar CON
Amb. Tuggar, born 12 March 1967 was appointed the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011 representing Gamawa; and he ran twice for Governor of Bauchi State. Tuggar represented Gamawa from Bauchi State in the Nigerian House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011.
Arch. Ahmed Dangiwa
Before taking over as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Dangiwa, an architect, had been managing partner of AM Design Consults, an architectural and real estate development consultancy firm, since 1996.
Dangiwa had his first and second degrees in architecture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he also earned an MBA. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Wharton University Pennsylvania, U.S.A. and has attended numerous training courses.
Barr. Hannatu Musawa
Hannatu Musawa is a lawyer, politician and author. She was the deputy spokesperson and Deputy Director Public Affairs of the All progressives congress (APC).
She was also the secretary screening committee of the APC for the presidential aspirants.
Musawa hails from Katsina State while her father is a veteran politician Alhaji Musa Musawa.
She graduated with a degree in Law from the University of Buckingham, UK. She has a postgraduate Master’s degree in the Legal aspects of Marine Affairs from the University of Cardiff wales. She also has a Master’s degree in Oil & gas from the University of Aberdeen.
Chief Uche Nnaji
Chief Uche Nnaji was the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress in Enugu State.
Nnaji hails from Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
The guber candidate came to the limelight in 1999 when he won the senatorial ticket of the then Alliance for Democracy, AD. He was later to step down for Chief Jim Nwobodo, who was eventually elected senator for the senatorial district.
Uche Nnaji is a brother to Hon Nnoli Nnaji of Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Dr. Betta Edu
Dr. Edu, born on 27th of October 1986, hails from Ibalebo village in Abi local government Area, Cross River State.
Betta completed her secondary education at Federal Government Girls College, Calabar, she is a graduate of medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar.
She is a Harvard certified, Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, United Kingdom, and untill recently, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health and National Chairman of Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.
In 2022, she emerged as the youngest female to become the National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress.
Dr. Dorris Aniche Uzoka
Dr. (Mrs) Doris Uzoka-Anite was a former Commissioner for Finance and Coordinating Economy, Imo State.
She was also a former General Manager of Zenith Bank Plc. She hails from Oguta LGA of Imo State.
Ex-Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar
Mohammed Badaru Abubakar MON, born 19 September 1962, served as governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023.
He is the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fertilizer and also the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Non oil Revenue, and he is also the owner of Talamiz group of industries.
Abubakar is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a B.Sc Accounting degree.
Badaru is also an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru
Rt. Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo
Hon. Ekpo is a renowned grassroot politician, and a former Council Chairman who was in the House of Representatives between 2007-2011.
Ekpo who is the Director general of Akwa ibom Democratic Forum (ADF), is also a prominent chieftain of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in his home state.
Hon Nkiru Onyejeocha
Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejocha, born on 23rd of November 1969, is a ranking lawmaker in Federal House of Representatives, representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State
Onyejocha was previously Executive Transition Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State in 2002. In 2003 she served in the executive cabinet of Abia State as commissioner for Resource Management and Manpower Development
During the 7th assembly she was awarded the most vibrant female legislator in Nigeria by Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASSAN).
Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, born 1st of May 1982, is is a lawmaker from the Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State.
In 1999, he gained admission into Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
In 2002, while in his third year at the Obafemi Awolowo University, he proceeded to the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University) where he studied Electronics and Communication Engineering and graduated in 2005.
He obtained a master’s degree in Digital Communication and Networking from the same institution in 2006.
He holds certifications in eighteen professional qualifications in ICT including the prestigious title of being one of the first set of certified ethical hackers from Royal Britannia IT Training Academy in the United Kingdom before he turned 24 years.
Stella Oketete
Hon. Stella Okotete holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from Benson Idahosa University. She also has a Diploma in Law from the Rivers State College of Arts and Sciences. She also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution.
In addition to her academic qualifications, she has completed prestigious certificate programs, including the Harvard Kennedy School Certificate Program for Emerging Leaders and the Entrepreneurial Management program at the Lagos Business School.
She is an influential figure within the All Progressives Congress (APC). She was the National Women Leader of the APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
Okotete was also appointed as the Executive Director, Business Development, Nigeria Export-Impor (NEXIM) Bank in 2017. Between 2011 and 2015, she served as the Special Assistant and Adviser to the Executive Governor of Delta State on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Bello Muhammad Goronyo
Bello Muhammad-Goronyo was a former Commissioner for Information in Sokoto State during the tenure of Governor Aminu Tambuwal.
Muhammad-Goronyo was however sacked after decamping from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The former Commissioner, was also the Chairman, Publicity and Media Committee of PDP Governorship Campaign Council in Sokoto State, until he decamped.
Hon. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye
Married with four children, Kennedy-Ohanenye is a businesswoman with stakes in real estate and education. Her foray into the last All Progressives Congress (APC)’s male-dominated presidential primary was, for her, a necessity.
Not intimidated by the array of male aspirants, Kennedy-Ohanenye waded in the murky waters of her party’s electoral process until she ‘smartly’ announced her withdrawal from the race at the party’s special convention, and also mobilised support for the former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Dele Alake
Henry Dele Alake is the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy.
The Ekiti State-born politician was commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State under the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu between 1999 and 2007.
The University of Lagos Political Science graduate worked at MKO Concord Press as Editor of the National Concord from 1995 to June 1999.
Alake is a former vice President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. He belongs to several national, regional, and international professional bodies, such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the West African Union of Journalists.
Lateef Fagbemi SAN
Lateef Fagbemi was born on June 22, 1956 in Ijagbo, Kwara State, Nigeria.
He is a Senior Advocate of Nigerian (SAN) and a Jurist who has made a significant contribution to the development of Law and Justice in Nigeria. He was called to the bar in 1984.
Olawale Edun
Olawale Edun is a seasoned financial expert with extensive experience in the banking sector.
He possesses a strong background in economics, public finance, international finance, merchant banking, and corporate finance at national and international levels.
Edun served as the Honourable Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State for two unprecedented terms (1999-2007) during Tinubu’s tenure.
He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics at the University of London and earned a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Sussex, England. Although specific details about his early life and education are not publicly available, his expertise and accomplishments speak for themselves.
Throughout his career, Wale Edun achieved remarkable success in the financial sector nationally and internationally.
Edun is an International Trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation and the Chairman of the Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame, a registered non-profit youth development group that runs amateur boxing in Lagos.
He is also the Chairman of the Livewell Initiative, a health sector Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and a Trustee of Sisters Unite for Children, an NGO that helps children in need.
Adebayo Adelabu
Adebayo Adelabu, born on 28th of September 1970, is a former Deputy Governor, Operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria and 2019 Oyo State gubernatorial candidate for the All Progressives Congress.
Adelabu received a first class degree in Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and an Associate Member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Adelabu has also taken up professional courses in various business schools, including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, Kelloggs, Euromoney, and the University of London.
Adebayo was appointed by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in February 2014 as Deputy Governor, Operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim was formerly the director-general of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) from 1 December 2020 till 27 May 2021, when former President, Muhammadu Buhari announced a swap and she was redeployed as the Honourable Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons.
At 19, she graduated from University of Abuja with a degree in sociology. At 21, she received two master’s degrees from Webster University, an MBA and MA.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim was born in Jos, Plateau, but she hails from Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Prof. Ali Pate
Muhammad Ali Pate CON, was born on 6th September 1968. He is a physician and a Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership in the Department of Global Health and Population at Harvard University.
He formerly served as the Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population and Director of the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF) at the World Bank Group. Pate was also the former Minister of State for Health in Nigeria.
Pate was born in the Misau local government area of Bauchi State in Nigeria. Pate graduated from high school to enter the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) medical school in Kaduna State, Nigeria.
He graduated from ABU and moved to Gambia where he worked in rural hospitals for a few years.
Prof. Joseph Userve
Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev is a civil engineer and former Rector of federal polytechnic, Wanune, Tarka LGA of Benue state.
He was an associate Professor at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
Utsev, from Buruku LGA, was a commissioner in the Samuel Ortom government. He is Tiv, the dominant ethnic group in Benue state.
Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Rector, Federal Polytechnic Wannune
Executive Director Engineering, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority
Honourable Commissioner for Water Resources
Senator Abubakar Kyari
Abubakar Kyari CON, born 15 January 1963, was the senator representing Borno North Senatorial District of Borno State at the 9th National Assembly from 2015 until his resignation in April 2022.
He is a member and the acting national chairman of the ruling Party of the All Progressives Congress.
Kyari was born in Borno State. His father was Late Brigadier Abba Kyari – Former military administrator to North Central from 1967 to 1975.
He was educated in Nigeria and United States of America. He attended Kaduna Capital School in 1974. He then proceeded to Barewa College Zaria where he obtained his WASSCE In 1979.
He attended the University of Tennessee Martin in USA where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in 1986. Thereafter in 1989, he attended Webster University St.Louis Missouri USA for his Masters in Business Administration (MBA)
Sani Abubakar Danladi
Sani Abubakar Danladi was former Acting Governor and Deputy Governor of Taraba State. He also served as the Senator representing Taraba North Senatorial Zone on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party before he was impeached.
He was born on May 20, 1967, in Bachama, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Danladi defected to the All Progressives Congress. It was on this platform that he contested for the governorship seat of Taraba State in 2019. He lost to Darius Ishaku of PDP.
Engineer Abubakar Momoh.
Engr. Momoh hails from Etsako East LGA of Edo state. He is a Civil engineer by professional training. Momoh was a two-time member of the House of Reps.
He dumped APC for PDP in 2019 and flew the party’s ticket in the Edo North senatorial election and lost. Thereafter, he returned to the APC.
Muhammed Idris.
Mohammed Idris is publisher of Blueprint Newspaper. He is the Niger representative on the list.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that Nigeria’s decline is now evident to “every honest observer.”
Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in the U.S., Obasanjo attributed the country’s deteriorating state to leadership failure, pointing specifically to Tinubu’s governance, which he referred to as “Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.”
In his keynote address titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” Obasanjo highlighted that pervasive corruption and mismanagement have worsened Nigeria’s challenges, driving the country deeper into insecurity, division, and underdevelopment.
He quoted the late writer Chinua Achebe, who in his book The Trouble with Nigeria argued that the country’s fundamental problem is a failure of leadership, not a flaw in its people or resources. According to Obasanjo, this diagnosis remains as relevant today as it was over 40 years ago.
Obasanjo cited works by American experts Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, who have characterized Nigeria as a “failed state.” Their argument, he noted, suggests that Nigeria’s inability to maintain security and stability has serious implications for Africa and the world at large.
Additionally, the former President described “state capture” as a pressing issue in Nigeria, where powerful individuals and groups exploit government resources and policies for personal gain. Obasanjo argued that this corruption undermines national interests, with influential elites shaping the country’s legal and economic systems to benefit themselves. Such practices, he warned, compromise public welfare, affecting the quality of education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
In reflecting on Achebe’s legacy, Obasanjo praised the late author’s commitment to truth and the moral foundation he established for Nigeria. He urged Nigerians and the international community to recognize the dangers of state capture and work towards restoring a governance model that prioritizes the public good.
The senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani has disagreed with a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido over national security issues
Lamido had taken a strong position against the current National Security Advisor (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu accusing him of compromising his professional integrity and acting more like a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu than fulfilling his constitutional role.
Sani advised Lamido to at least appreciate how the Tinubu led Administration tackled insecurity instead of politicizing it in his comment on the National Security Adviser.
Ribadu who was basking in the euphoria of the recent claims of decimating the insurgents cautioned anyone “not to dare Tinubu”, espercially the new Lakurawa Insurgents a development which infuriated the former governor of Jigawa State and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP), prompting him to take to his verified facebook wall to describe the NSA as “loquacious, flippant and qualified to have been Tinubu’s Minsiter of Information instead of NSA.”
Lamido Criticizes NSA for Sycophantic Behavior, Urges Focus on Duties.
Lamido in his comment had expressed concerns over the NSA’s behavior, particularly his past actions as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Lamido reminded Nigerians of the NSA’s controversial remarks, including his public labeling of prominent governors—such as Tinubu, Kalu, and Akume—as the “most corrupt.” Lamido pointed out the stark contradiction between the NSA’s earlier criticisms and his current position, serving under the same figures he once condemned.
The former governor called the NSA’s decision to join the administration of President Tinubu—a leader he previously described as corrupt—a “singular mistake,” one that Lamido believes has tarnished the NSA’s credibility and character. “You are not a spokesperson for the President, you are a National Security Advisor,” Lamido emphasized, urging the NSA to return to the professionalism that has historically defined the role.
Lamido argued that previous holders of the NSA position, including the late Umaru Shinkafi, General Gusau, and Colonel Dasuki, all displayed discipline and a low profile, focusing on security matters without resorting to public displays or sycophantic behavior. Lamido lamented that the current NSA’s behavior reflects a departure from this standard, pointing to his increasingly vocal and partisan approach.
Rather than fulfilling his duties as an anonymous and diligent security advisor, Lamido claimed that the NSA’s moral dilemma and excessive displays of loyalty to the president have shifted him into the role of a “Minister of Information,” undermining the neutrality and importance of his position.
In closing, Lamido urged President Tinubu to allow his NSA to regain focus, remove his fears, and return to the professional standards expected of someone in such a sensitive and critical role. The criticism continued to ignite debates about the role of the NSA and the expectations of public office holders in Nigeria, with many calling for greater transparency and consistency from those in power.
Reacting, Shehu Sani countered Lamido in a statement on Friday in Abuja, saying there should be a credit and a commendation for an administration that inherited multi-faceted security challenges ,but which has been reduced to the barest minimum, wondering how the elderly statesman failed to acknowledge the many triumphs of government in bandits hotbed regions in the north.
Sani who served in the upper legislative Chamber in the 8th National Assembly said, he witnessed to the appropriation budget allocated to security which unfortunately did not abate security challenges before now, expressing that Nuhu Ribadu has achieved what many of his predecessors have failed to accomplish despite the hundreds of billions spent in the name of defence and security in the past;
According to him, bandits have been neutralized to a large extent, thus encouraging government in this direction until total victory should have been ideal rather than playing haywire politics which he said may not help the yet-volatile situation in the North.
He said: “Neutralisation of top bandit leaders, end to mass abductions of students in northern schools,
“Securing rail lines and major northern highways hitherto notorious for kidnappings. The prompt response to terrorist attacks on power lines is worth mentioning.
“Security challenges are not over but in all indices of comparison, he has performed better and set unprecedented records. His political critics are fully entitled to their views ,but his delivery on his mandate is unparalleled.”, Sani concluded.
The Concerned Religious Prayer Forum has issued a statement clarifying its mission and responding to recent criticisms surrounding its seven-day national prayer initiative.
Established as a non-governmental organization on January 9, 2024, the Forum emphasizes that it is an independent group composed of citizens motivated by a shared desire to promote peace, unity, and prosperity in Nigeria.
The initiative has drawn scrutiny, particularly due to its involvement of high-profile figures, including First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, as leaders of the prayer effort.
In the statement, Director General, Chief Segun Balogun Afolorunikan of the Forum reiterated that the prayer campaign is not government-driven or politically motivated, but rather a spiritual call for Nigerians to come together and seek divine intervention for the country’s challenges.
The Forum stated that it was not seeking political endorsement but instead believed that the involvement of such respected figures would inspire broader national participation.
Citing religious scriptures, the Forum stressed the role of prayer in supporting and strengthening efforts for national progress.
The Bible, according to 2 Chronicles 7:14, encourages prayer as a means of healing and unity: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face… then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Similarly, the Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:186) reminds believers that “I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”
The Forum further addressed critics who questioned the efficacy of prayer in resolving the nation’s issues, insisting that divine intervention does not replace the need for diligent work but complements the efforts of the people. “This initiative is not about replacing hard work but about seeking spiritual guidance and collective unity to overcome the challenges facing the nation,” the statement read.
Encouraging all citizens and leaders to support the prayer initiative, the Forum called for unity in Nigeria’s pursuit of peace and prosperity. It urged Nigerians to set aside differences and work together in both practical and spiritual ways to help heal and build the nation.
The Concerned Religious Prayer Forum concluded its statement by inviting Nigerians to join in prayer, stating, “As we strive for national progress, prayer continues to serve as a catalyst for peace, growth, and development in Nigeria.”
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