The immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, lost out on the President Buhari’s ministerial list read today on the Floor of the Senate in Abuja.
This is against widespread speculation that the former Governor had been rewarded with a ministerial appointment after losing the bid to be governor for the second term. Meanwhile, his predecessor, Babatunde Raji Fashola made the list for the second time in a row.
Further Breakdown: Similarly, other prominent personalities that were widely expected to be returned by President Buhari and form the cabinet also missed out. Note that some of the personalities involved were part of the President’s cabinet in the first administration. Some of the major prominent names include:
- Solomon Dalung (former Minister for Youth and Sport)
- Ibe Kachikwu (former minister for Minister of State, Petroleum Resources)
- Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (former Minister of Interior)
- Adebayo Shittu (former Minister for Communications)
- Audu Ogbeh (former minister, Agriculture)
- Isaac Adewole (minister for health)
- Okechukwu Enelamah (minister for industry, trade and investment)
Only 13 Returnee: Out the ministers in President Buhari’s cabinet during the first administration, only thirteen ministers were returned as ministers. The ministers returned include;
- Zainab Ahmed – Finance
- Adamu Adamu – Education
- Muhammadu Bello – FCT Minister
- Chirs Ngige – Labour and employment
- Lai Mohammed – Information and culture
- Abubakar Malami – Minister for Justice
- Babatunde Fashola – Power, Works and Housing
- Rotimi Amaechi – Minister for transport
- Geoffrey Onyeama (Enugu State) Foreign Affairs
- Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa State) – State, Power and Works
- Osagie Enahire (Edo State) – Minister of State for health
- Hadi Sirika – Minister of State, Aviation
- Ogbonnaya Onu – Science and Technology
[READ: FULL-LIST of Buhari ministerial nominees]
Ex-governors and Senators: In Buhari’s new ministerial list, seven former governors and seven ex-senators are among the nominees whose names were sent to the Senate for screening and confirmed on Tuesday. The seven former governors are:
- Rauf Aregbesola (Osun)
- Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti)
- George Akume (Benue)
- Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)
- Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom)
- Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa) and
- Babatunde Fashola (Lagos)
On the other hand, on the list are seven ex-law makers who are expected to enjoy some privileges during the screening exercise.
Basically, in the tradition of the Senate, the seven former lawmakers will be asked to take a bow and avoid all the questions and answers that normally characterise the exercise as a mark of respect. The lawmakers expected to enjoy the privileges include;
- Sen. Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara) 2007 and 2011
- Sen. Olorunnibe Mamora (Lagos) 2003 and 2011
- Sen. Hadi Sirika (Katsina) Immediate past Minister of Aviation
- Sen. Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo) 2015 and 2019
- Sen. Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) 2015 to 2019.
- Sen. Chris Ngige (Anambra) Immediate past minister labour and employment Senate
- Sen. George Akume (Benue) 2007 and 2015
[READ FURTHER: Saraki, Keyamo, Amaechi, others make Buhari’s ministerial list]
