President Bola Tinubu has appointed Bianca, widow of the late Chief Emeke Odumegwu-Ojukwu, as Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, in a cabinet reshuffle that also saw five ministers removed.
Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, and Suwaiba Said Ahmad PhD have also been appointed as ministers with Binca.
Barrister Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Lola Ade-John, Prof Tahir Mamman, Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim have all been relieved of their cabinet positions.
In a statement after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the Presidency said:
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has approved the immediate implementation of eight far-reaching actions to reinvigorate the Administration’s capacity for optimal efficiency pursuant of his commitment to deliver on his promises to Nigerians.”
The eight actions approved by Mr. President include:
The renaming of the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development to Ministry of Regional Development to oversee the activities of all the Regional Development Commissions. The Regional Development Commissions to be under the supervision of the new Ministry are; the Niger Delta Development Commission, the South East Development Commission, the North East Development and the North West Development Commission.
The immediate winding up of the Ministry of Sports Development and the transfer of its functions to the National Sports Commission in order to develop a vibrant sports economy;
The merger of the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to become Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy;
The re-assignment of ten (10) ministers to new ministerial portfolios;
The discharge of five (5) Ministers.
The nomination of seven (7) new ministers for onward transmission to Senate for confirmation;
The appointment of Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission;
The appointment of Sunday Akin Dare as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation working from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Speaking at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, President Tinubu the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their service to the nation while wishing them the best in their future endeavours.
He then charged the newly appointed ministers as well as their reassigned colleagues to see their appointment as a call to serve the nation.
He added that all appointees must understand the administration’s eagerness and determination to set Nigeria on the path to irreversible growth and invest the best of their abilities into the actualisation of the government’s priorities
