By Nathaniel Irobi
President Bola Tinubu initiated a highly anticipated cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, resulting in the dismissal of five ministers and the nomination of seven new candidates for Senate confirmation. Additionally, ten ministers were reassigned to new portfolios.
Among the new nominees, Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu has been proposed for the role of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, while Nentawe Yilwatda is nominated as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, effectively concluding the tenure of the suspended Betta Edu. Other nominees include Maigari Dingyadi for Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, Idi Maiha for the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Suwaiba Ahmad as Minister of State for Education.
The President removed Uju-Ken Ohanenye from the position of Minister of Women Affairs, Lola Ade-John from Tourism, Tahir Mamman from Education, Abdullahi Gwarzo from Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Jamila Ibrahim from Youth Development.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their contributions and wished them well in their future endeavors. He urged the newly appointed and reassigned ministers to view their roles as a commitment to serving the nation and emphasized the administration’s resolve to guide Nigeria towards sustainable growth.
In August 2023, Tinubu, a prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), appointed 48 ministers shortly after his inauguration, all of whom were swiftly approved by the Senate. Notably, Betta Edu was suspended in January, while Simon Lalong transitioned to the Senate.
Calls for a cabinet reshuffle had emerged from various quarters, reflecting public dissatisfaction with the performance of some ministers amid rising inflation, economic hardship, and increasing insecurity. In September, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga indicated that a cabinet reshuffle was forthcoming, although no specific timeline was provided.
**Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu**
Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu is a distinguished diplomat, lawyer, businesswoman, and former beauty pageant titleholder. Appointed as Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, she later served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ghana and then to Spain. Currently, she holds the position of Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Widowed from former Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, she is recognized for her multiple international pageant titles.
**Maigari Dingyadi**
Maigari Dingyadi, a Sokoto native, served as Minister of Police Affairs from August 2019 until May 2023. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria in 1978 and has held significant political roles, including representing Bodinga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He is a former Secretary to the Sokoto State Government and has chaired the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) in Abuja.
**Jumoke Oduwole**
Jumoke Oduwole is an academic, advisor, and speaker who acted as Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business from August 2019 until May 2023. Prior to that, she served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade & Investment within the Office of the Vice President. Currently on leave from her position as Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos, she specializes in Jurisprudence and International Law.
**Nentawe Yilwatda**
A registered Engineer from Plateau State, Nentawe Yilwatda is also a community developer and lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State. He was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari as a Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2017, where he served as the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue State.
**Idi Maiha**
Idi Maiha is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zaidi Farms Limited, based in Kaduna. He previously held the role of Managing Director at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.
**Yusuf Ata**
Yusuf Ata, an experienced educator, formerly served as the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly. He was also a Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Assembly Matters from 2003 to 2007, and later on Inter-Governmental Affairs.
**Suwaiba Ahmad**
Suwaiba Ahmad is a dedicated educationist and gender advocate. As a lecturer at Bayero University Kano, she currently directs the Centre for Gender Studies. Throughout her tenure at the university, she has occupied various roles, including level coordinator, examination officer, PG coordinator, Sub Dean Academics, and Head of the Department of Science Education.
