Jimmy Fatunbi
Some states, women and youths have been marginalised in the list of ministerial nominees sent to the Nigerian Senate on Monday 24th July, 2023 by President Tinubu after 56 days in office.
Not less that eleven states of the federation are left out despite the fact that Nigerian constitution enjoins the president to ensure that at least one minister is appointed from each state of the federation to reflect the federal character of Nigeria.
The states without nominees are Adamawa, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Plateau, Osun, Yobe and Zamfara.
Also, only seven women made the list of 28 nominees, making the Nigerian women, who worked tirelessly for the president’s victory, to think whether his promise to feature women and youth “prominently” in his administration is anything to go by.
The lucky women are Hannatu Musawa, Betta Edu, Dorris Uzoka, Nkeiruka Onyejocha, Stella Okotette, Uju Ohaneye, and Iman Suleiman-Ibrahim.
Building strong hope around featuring the youth in President Tunubu’s administration, youths had expected that the ministerial list would considerably feature the youths. However, they were soon delusional as the two perceivably young ministerial nominees, Betty Edu (37)and Olubunmi Tunji- Ojo (41) fall on the fringes of the definitions of the youth by the new youth policy (youth in Nigeria includes citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria aged 18–29 years) and the African youths charter (youths as people between the age of 15 and 35).
Since the president has affirmed that the list is not “exhaustive and additional nominations will be announced in due course,” States, women, youths and Nigerians in general will keep hope alive that President Tinubu would give these categorisations prominence in the supplementary list and subsequent appointments to meet the requirements of the law and campaign promises for fairness and balance.
Besides, there could be faith in the assurance of the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, who asserted that the list was sent to meet the demands of the law and that more names would be sent.
‘’As you know, he ( President Tinubu) had 60 days from the time of inauguration, as stipulated in the constitution. He has fulfilled that requirement of the constitution by submitting 28 names today. As his letter stated and was read on the floor of the Senate, the remaining names, not sure how many, probably about 12, maybe 13, will be forwarded to the Senate in the coming days,” Gbajabiamila said.
This number (12 or 13) is sufficiently enough to address the problem of lopsidedness perceived in the previous list.
The following are the names of politicians and technocrats who made the list of ministerial nominees:
– Abubakar Momoh
– Ambassador Yusuf Miatama Tukur CON
– Arch. Ahmed Dangiwa
– Barr. Hannatu Musawa
– Chief Uche Nnaji
– Dr. Berta Edu
– Dr. Dorris Aniche Uzoka
– H.E. David Umahi
– H.E. Nyesom Wike
– H.E. Badaru Abubakar CON
– H.E. Nasiru Ahmed Elrufai
– Rt. Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo
– Hon. Nkiru Onyeojiocha
– Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo
– Hon. Stella Okotette
– Hon. Uju Kennedy Ohaneye
– Mr. Bello Muhammad G.
– Mr. Dele Alake
– Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN
– Mr. Muhammad Idris
– Mr. Olawale Edun
– Mr. Waheed Adebayo Adelabu
– Mrs Iman Suleiman Ibrahim
– Professor Ali Pate
– Professor Joseph
– Senator Abubakar Kyari
– Senator John Eno
– Senator Sani Abubakar Danladi