The Nigerian Senate on Monday ratified 45 out of 48 individuals proposed by President Bola Tinubu to serve as ministers. Nevertheless, the approval for the appointment of Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, Sani Abubakar Danladi, former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, and Stella Okotete, former Executive Director of Business Development at the Nigeria Import and Export Bank from Delta State, was temporarily withheld.
The confirmation process for the rest of the nominees took place following thorough evaluation by the Committee of the Whole, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, within the premises of the Senate. These confirmations followed the presentation of the candidates in two separate groups as ministers by President Tinubu, who subsequently wrote to the Senate, requesting their approval.
The confirmation of the appointments occurred a few days after President Tinubu’s nomination. Among the confirmed ministers, there are nine hailing from the North West geo-political zone, nine from the South West, eight each from the North East and North Central, seven from the South South, and five from the South East.
| Number | Name | State | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Badaru Abubakar | Jigawa | North West |
| Mariya Mahmoud | Kano | ||
| Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo | Kano | ||
| Ahmed Dangiwa | Katsina | ||
| Hannatu Musawa | Katsina | ||
| Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu | Kebbi | ||
| Atiku Bagudu | Kebbi | ||
| Bello Muhammad Goronyo | Sokoto | ||
| Bello Matawalle | Zamfara | ||
| 2 | Dele Alake | Ekiti | South West |
| Tunji Alausa | Lagos | ||
| Lola Ade John | Lagos | ||
| Olawale Edun | Ogun | ||
| Dr. Ishak Salako | Ogun | ||
| Dr. Bosun Tijjani | Ogun | ||
| Olubunmi Tunji Ojo | Ondo | ||
| Adegboyega Oyetola | Osun | ||
| Waheed Adebayo Adelabu | Oyo | ||
| 3 | Prof. Tahir Mamman | Adamawa | North East |
| Yusuf Maitama Tuggar | Bauchi | ||
| Ali Pate | Bauchi | ||
| Abubakar Kyari | Borno | ||
| Alkali Ahmed Saidu | Gombe | ||
| Uba Maigari Ahmadu | Taraba | ||
| Ibrahim Geidam | Yobe | ||
| 4 | Joseph Utsev | Benue | North Central |
| Shuaibu Abubakar Audu | Kogi | ||
| Lateef Fagbemi | Kwara | ||
| Iman Suleiman Ibrahim | Nasarawa | ||
| Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi | Niger | ||
| Muhammad Idris | Niger | ||
| Simon Lalong | Plateau | ||
| Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo | FCT | ||
| 5 | Ekperikpe Ekpo | Akwa Ibom | South South |
| Senator Heineken Lokpobri | Bayelsa | ||
| Dr. Betta Edu | Cross River | ||
| Senator John Enoh | Cross River | ||
| Festus Keyamo | Delta | ||
| Abubakar Momoh | Edo | ||
| Nyesom Wike | Rivers | ||
| 6 | Uche Nnaji | Enugu | South East |
| Doris Aniche Uzoka | Imo | ||
| David Umahi | Ebonyi | ||
| Nkeiruka Onyejocha | Abia | ||
| Uju Kennedy Ohaneye | Anambra | ||
| Total | 45 confirmed ministers out of 48 nominees |
The new ministers from the North-West are Badaru Abubakar from Jigawa State, Mariya Mahmoud (Kano), Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo (Kano), Ahmed Dangiwa (Katsina), Hannatu Musawa (Katsina), Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu (Kebbi), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Bello Muhammad Goronyo (Sokoto) and Bello Matawalle from Zamfara State.
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Those from the South West are Dele Alake representing Ekiti State, Tunji Alausa (Lagos), Lola Ade John (Lagos), Olawale Edun (Ogun), Dr. Ishak Salako (Ogun), Dr. Bosun Tijjani (Ogun), Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Waheed Adebayo Adelabu from Oyo State.
The new ministers from North East are Prof. Tahir Mamman (Adamawa), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Ali Pate (Bauchi), Abubakar Kyari (Borno), Alkali Ahmed Saidu (Gombe), Uba Maigari Ahmadu (Taraba) and Ibrahim Geidam from Yobe State.
The North-Central has Joseph Utsev from Benue State, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu (Kogi), Lateef Fagbemi (Kwara), Iman Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa), Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger), Muhammad Idris (Niger), Simon Lalong (Plateau) and
Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Those from the South-South geo-political zone are Ekperikpe Ekpo from Akwa Ibom State, Senator Heineken Lokpobri (Bayelsa), Dr. Betta Edu (Cross River), Senator John Enoh (Cross River), Festus Keyamo (Delta), Abubakar Momoh (Edo), and Nyesom Wike from Rivers State.
The South East has Uche Nnaji (Enugu), Doris Aniche Uzoka (Imo), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Nkeiruka Onyejocha (Abia) and Uju Kennedy Ohaneye from Anambra State.
Earlier in the day, the Red Chamber had screened the remaining two ministerial nominees by the President.
They are Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure from Kano State and Festus Keyamo, SAN from Delta State.
Tinubu had on Friday, August 4 revoked the earlier nomination of Dr. Maryam Shetty from Kano and replaced her with Dr. Mahmud-Bunkure also from the same state.
He also, in another letter addressed to the Senate President and read on the floor of the Red Chamber, nominated former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN as the 48th ministerial nominee.
The President had on Thursday, July 27, through his Chief of Staff and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, forwarded the first batch of 28 nominees for approval by the Senate, while the second and last batch of 19 was sent through the same aide on Wednesday, August 2.
In his remarks after the confirmation, the Senate President said the appointments of other nominees would be confirmed later once they are cleared by the relevant security agencies.
