Buhari swears in ministers (LIVE UPDATES)

Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has sworn in his 43 new ministers.

The ministers were sworn in on Wednesday, inside the Federal Executive Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Among those present at the event was the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha and the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole.

The moderator of the event, Femi Adesina, also said the re-appointted SGF will take his oath of service today.

President Buhari had on July 23 appointed a total of 43 ministers from the 36 states and Abuja.

Among the appointees are former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio; senior lawyer Festus Keyamo; ex-Benue governor George Akume; and 40 other nominees.

The president also retained Babatunde Fashola, Chris Ngige and a few other returnee ministers.

The appointments were made across the six geopolitical zones.

The nominees have since been cleared by the Senate

Premium Times reported how the president on Tuesday told incoming ministers that all requests for meetings with him should pass through his chief of staff, Abba Kyari.

“In terms of coordination, kindly ensure that all submissions for my attention or meeting requests are channelled through the Chief of Staff, while all Federal Executive Council matters be coordinated through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Mr Buhari said

Mr Kyari has been criticised by some Nigerians including members of the ruling party, APC, for his influence over the president.

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, is one of those who have complained about the powers Mr Kyari wields in the presidency.

After Mr Buhari’s re-election in February, some APC members protested against the re-appointment of Mr Kyari, a longtime ally of the president.

The SGF Boss Mustapha has also taken his oath of service.

The first set of the ministers designate to take their oath are Uchechukwu Ogah, Abia State, Muhammad Musa Bello from Adamawa State, Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom, Chris Ngige from Anambra State and Sharon Ikeazor from Anambra State.

Femi Adesina reads the citation of the ministers before their inauguration. He reads the citation of Godwin Jeddy-Agba, Festus Keyamo, Ogbonnaya Onu, Osagie Ohanire and Clement Agba who proceed to take their oath of office.

The third set of ministerial nominees are now called upon for swearing-in. They are:

Goddy Jedi Agba (Cross River)
Festus Keyamo (Delta)
Ogbonaya Onu (Ebonyi)
Osagie Ehanire (Edo)
Clement Anade Agba (Edo)

The five are now taking oath of office.

Goddy Jedi Agba is from Cross River, Festus Keyamo (Delta), Ogbonaya Onu (Ebonyi), Osagie Ehanire (Edo), Clement Anade Agba (Edo).

Buhari swears in ministers (LIVE UPDATES) [PHOTO CREDIT: Channels TV]

The second set who took their oath of office are Adamu Adamu, the former minister of education from Bauchi State, Mariam Katagum from Bauchi State, Timipre Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State, George Akume from Benue State and Mustapha Baba Shehuri from Borno State.

They took their oath before Festus Keyamo and the others who were the third batch.

President Muhammadu Buhari in his second tenure increased the number of ministers to 43 from the initial 36 in his first tenure. It is expected that he either unbundles some of the ministries or appoints more junior ministers.

The ministers are now done with signing the register.

The oath taking is followed by the signing of register right in front of Mr Buhari and a handshake with the president.

So far, 15 nominees have been sworn-in.

Next to be sworn-in are five nominees from Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo and Jigawa states.

Their formal inauguration is preceded with reading of their citation as was done with others.

The five are:

Richard Adeniyi Adebayo (Ekiti)
Geofery Onyeama (Enugu)
Ali Isa Ibrahim Pantami (Gombe)
Emeka Nwajiuba (Imo)
Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa)

The ministers are yet to be assigned portfolios despite their swearing-in. It is expected that the presidency will announce their portfolios after the swearing-in.

Adeniyi Adebayo, a former governor of Ekiti State, was until his appointment the national vice chairman of the ruling APC.

Geoffrey Onyema (Enugu) is the immediate past minister of foreign affairs, Ali Isa-Pantami (Gombe) is the immediate past Director-General of NITDA and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (Imo) was a member of the House of Representatives.

Geoffrey Onyema was born on February 2, 1956. Mr Pantami from Gombe State was born on October 1975 and was a lecturer for 10 years. Suleiman Adamu was born in April 1963.

The next batch of ministers to take their oath of office are Muhammad Mahmud (Kaduna), Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (Kaduna), Mohammed Sabo Nanono (Kano), Bashir Magashiri (Kano) and Hadi Sirika (Katsina).

In this batch, Zainab Ahmed and Hadi Sirika are the only returning ministers. The others are new in the cabinet.

The next set are :

Abubakar Malami (Kebbi state), the former minister for Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation: Ramatu Tijani (Kogi State), and Lai Mohammed (Kwara State), the former minister of Information and culture.

Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara State) who was elected to represent Kwara central Senatorial district under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2003. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 1999 representing Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency, Kwara State.

Babatunde Raji Fashola (Lagos) former minister of power ,works, and housing, completes this batch.

The next batch of five ministers to take their oath include Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Mohammed Abdullahi (Nasarawa), Zubairu Dada (Niger), Olamilekan Adegbite (Ogun) and Omotayo Alasoadura (Ondo).

Mr Fashola was a two-term governor of Lagos State and a former power minister.

All other four nominees in this batch are first timers.

The next batch include Rauf Aregbesola, immediate past governor of Osun State; Sunday Dare, immediate past executive commissioner in NCC; Pauline Tallen; a former deputy governor in Plateau State; Rotimi Ameachi, the immediate past minister of transportation and a two-term governor of Rivers State and Mohammed Maigari from Sokoto State.

Adeleke Mamora (Lagos) who has also taken his oath, was born February 1953. He was elected senator for the Lagos East constituency of Lagos State, Nigeria, in 2007.

Mr Alasoadura, a former senator, lost his re-election bid on the APC platform in 2019 to Ayo Akinyelure of the PDP.

The last batch, made up of just three ministers are Saleh Mamman from Taraba, Abubakar Aliyu from Yobe and Sadiya Umar-Farouk from Zamfara State.

The SGF just made an announcement that the ministers should familiarize themselves with their various ministries and get set for the 2020 budget.

SGF Boss Mustapha urged the ministers to familiarise themselves with the ministries assigned to them.

“By the time your portfolios are signed, we will send out the ministerial mandate for you to review within two weeks with the permanent secretaries assigned to your ministries and append your signature and return for the purpose of safekeeping,” Mr Mustapha said.

President Muhammadu Buhari takes to the podium to make his remarks.

“We have witnessed eight quarters of consistent growth in the last two years” – Buhari

“You are chosen from the 36 states, and most importantly, your sheer commitment towards the growth of this country…i believe you are ready to work,” Mr Buhari told the ministers.

Mr Buhari said the country’s economic recovery is still ‘robust’ as the government is working to improve infrastructure.

He urged the ministers to work in harmony and always work with their colleagues and subordinates.

Mr Buhari also urged the ministers to submit all that requires his attention to the SGF.

Dr Uchechukwu Ogah, Abia Minister of State, Mines and Steel
Muhammad Musa Bello, Adamawa state, Minister of FCT
Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom state, Minister of Niger Delta
Chris Ngige, Anambra state, Minister of Labour and Productivity

Adamu Adamu, Bauchi State Minister of Education, Mariam Katagum, Bauchi State Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Timipre Sylva, Minister of State, Petroleum

George Akume, Benue, minister of special duties and of internal affairs

Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Borno state, minister of state, Agriculture and Rural development

Goddy Jedi Agba, Cross River, minister of state

Festus Keyamo, Delta State, minister of state Niger Delta

Ogbonnaya Onu, Ebonyi State , Minister of science and technology

Osagie Ehanire, Edo State, minister of health

Clement Anade Agba, Edo minister of state budget and national planning