Allegations of Cronyism Trail Nominee Choices
Corruption Allegations Against Matawale, El-rufai, Bagudu, Others Taint List
Tinubu Rewards Ex-Northwest Governors For Votes That Guaranteed His Victory With 48 Nominees, President Must Unbundle Ministries, Create New Ones
The All Progressives Congress, APC, member from Kano State, Dr Maryam Shettima’s ministerial nomination was withdrawn by the presidency on Friday, a few hours to the Senate screening of the 19 names in the second batch of nominees, two days after the public disclosure of the list.
Attempts to get the official reasons for her sudden replacement by Mariya Mairiga Mahmud failed as presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngalele, who had promised on his appointment to run an open-door policy, decline to answer calls to his phone, but the media aide to the Senate President, Jackson Udom, told THEWILL, that “The Presidency is in a better position to answer your question.”
The youthful Shetty, as she is popularly called, is a somewhat well-known figure within the support groups of the governing party with a verifiable academic background complemented with a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy and a Master’s degree in Sports Physiotherapy.
But on Friday, the 35 year-old, forward-looking politician fell to the kind of high stakes politics that had seen the President almost failing to meet the 60-day constitutional threshold for the appointment of ministers and in the last minute rush came up with some names that have raised serious public eye brows of disapproval.
THEWILL investigation shows that former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, was ratified by the APC National Executive Committee, NEC, as National Chairman of the party, was the ministerial nominee for Kano. But President Bola Tinubu’s desire to fill the chairmanship position with his loyalists changed the calculations.
In addition, the buzz for and against Ganduje’s chairmanship nomination within the party caused such distraction that the “smart party man exploited it to fill the ex-governor’s ministerial slot, which became obvious with reactions in the social media immediately the list became public knowledge,” a dependable government source told THEWILL.
Given the timing, Ganduje was said to have lobbied for his acolyte and ex-Commissioner for Higher Education, Mahmud, as Shettima’s replacement. And the President succumbed to the pressure.
While the move shows in principle that President Tinubu is positively responding to public concerns about some of his policies, the sudden withdrawal and replacement calls into question the criteria for selecting ministerial nominees and their readiness to serve.
THE 48 MINISTERIAL NOMINEES
President Tinubu has so far submitted 48 nominees to the Senate in two batches, for screening. The first batch, submitted on 27 July was screened by August 2, the same day the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamilla, submitted the second batch of 19, which before screening began on Friday, August 4, became 20 names with the inclusion of a former Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo, SAN.
THE FIRST BATCH SCREENED
Abubakar Momoh (Edo); Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi); Arch. Ahmed Dangiwa (Katsina); Barr. Hannatu Musawa (Katsina); Chief Uche Nnaji (Enugu); Dr. Betta Edu (Cross River); Dr Doris Aniche Uzoka (Imo); David Umahi (Ebonyi); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa); Nasir Ahmed el-rufai (Kaduna); Ekperipke Ekpo (Akwa Ibom); Nkiru Onyeojiocha (Abia); Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo); Stella Okotette (Delta); Uju Kennedy Ohaneye (Anambra); Mr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo (Sokoto) Mr. Dele Alake (Ekiti); Mr Lateef Fagbemi (Kwara); Mr Muhammad Idris (Niger); Mr Olawale Edun (Ogun); Mr Waheed Adebayo Adelabu, (Oyo) Mrs Iman Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa); Professor Ali Pate (Bauchi); Professor Joseph Utsev (Benue); Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno); Senator John Enoh (Cross River) Senator Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba)
THE SECOND BATCH UNDERGOING SCREENING
Ahmed Tijani Gwarzo (Kano); Bosun Tijani (Ogun); Mariya Maigari Mahmud (Kano); Isiak Salako (Ogun); Tunji Alausa (Lagos); Yusuf Tanko Sununu (Kebbi); Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun); Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); Bello Matawalle (Zamfara); Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe); Simon Lalong (Plateau); Lola Ade-John (Lagos); Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu (Kogi); Prof Tahir Mamman (Adamawa); Aliyu sabi Abdullahi (Niger); Alkali Ahmed Said (Gombe) Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa); Uba Maigari Ahmadu (Taraba); Zephaniah Jizallo (FCT) and Festus Keyamo (Delta).
With a total of 48 nominees, all 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, are represented in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Although criticism has trailed the nominations as compensation for loyalists and supporters of Tinubu, considering the presence of 10 former state governors, serving and former senators and political office holders and many others believed to have pending cases of corruption, the picks also comprises many good choices.
The problem is that the poor choices may turn out to be weak links in the administration due to distraction and the image problems they would likely cause the government, thereby tainting whatever efforts and progress it has made in terms of policy direction.
In this category are those that are under corruption investigations or have pending corruption cases in court. At least two nominees have issues with their educational certificates, which raises the question of their integrity besides qualification for the job assignment that may come with their portfolio.
THE GOOD:
Mohammed Idris (Niger)
Mohammed Idris is a publisher, public relations professional, and politician. He is the founder/chairman and publisher of Abuja based Blueprint newspaper. He is also the chairman of Abuja based Kings Broadcasting Limited, owners of WE 106.5 FM Abuja, Nigeria. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress. APC.
Amb Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi)
Amb Tuggar is a former member of the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, who represented Gamawa Federal Constituency in Bauchi State and is a member of the APC.. After two unsuccessful attempts at the governorship of the state, he was appointed Ambassador to Germany by President Mohammadu Buhari in 2017. All through his ambassadorial post in Germany, Nigerians in the Diaspora, Germany branch always had good things to say about him.
Arch Ahmed Dangiwa (Katsina)
Ahmad Musa Dangiwa was until his ministerial nomination the Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. He is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University where he obtained his a Bachelor degree and Master’s degree in architecture, as well as an NBA. He contested for the APC ticket in the 2023 Governorship election in Katsina State during the party’s primary election in May 2022. He has 30 years working experience in real estate, infrastructure development, banking and management in the private and public sector.
Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa (Katsina)
The 43-year-old Hannatu Musa Musawa is the daughter of veteran Katsina politician, Musa Musa, who was also a lawyer and author.
Taking after her father, she is actively involved in politics and was the deputy spokesperson and Deputy Director Public Affairs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during electioneering in 2023.
She was also the secretary of the screening committee of the APC for presidential aspirants.
Chief Uche Nnaji (Enugu)
Chief Uche Nnaji was an active member of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, alongside President Bola Tinubu at the birth of multi-party democracy in 1998. He reportedly won the senatorial ticket of the party in 1999, but had to step down for Chief Jim Nwobodo, who was eventually elected senator for the senatorial district. He later joined the Peoples Democratic Party before defecting to the governing All Progressive Congress on whose platform he contested the governorship election in Enugu State.
Dr Betta Edu (Cross Rivers)
Dr Betta Edu, a graduate of medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar and a Harvard certified Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, United Kingdom, is a former Commissioner for Health in Cross River State and National Chairman of the Nigerian Health Commissioners Forum. In 2022, she emerged as the youngest female to become the National Women’s Leader of the APC.
Dr. Doris Aniche Uzoka (Imo)
Dr Doris Uzoka is versatile and qualified as a medical doctor. She also holds a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter, specialising in Financial Risk Management and Portfolio Management, which enabled her to make a career shift in 2002 to the banking industry and rose to become the General Manager of Zenith Bank Plc. She later became the youngest Commissioner in Governor Hope Uzodinma’s government in Imo State.
Senator David Umahi (Ebonyi)
Until his ministerial nomination, Umahi was a first- time Senator in the 10th Senate after serving out a two-term tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State between 2015 and 2023, first on the platform of the PDP and later the APC, to which he defected in November 19, 2020.
Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa)
Former two-term Governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, where he obtained a B.Sc in Accounting.
Badaru, an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, is the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fertilizer and also the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Non -oil Revenue as well as Talamiz group of industries.
Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo (Akwa Ibom)
Ekpo is a former member of the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011 and a former Council Chairman in Akwa Ibom state. He was the senatorial candidate of the APC for Akwa Ibom West in the 2023 National Assembly election. Ekpo, who is the Director-general of the Akwa ibom Democratic Forum (ADF), is also a prominent chieftain of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in his home state.
Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejocha (Abia)
Onyejocha is a former Commissioner for Resource Management and Manpower Development in Abia State. She also served as federal lawmaker, representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, where she was Deputy Chief Whip.
Hon Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo)
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is a lawmaker from the Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State. Born on May 2, 1982, he holds a BSc in Electronics and Communication Engineering and Master’s degree in Digital Communication and Networking from London Metropolitan University in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Stella Oketete (Delta)
Hon Stella Okotete is influential within the All Progressives Congress (APC), where she was the National Women’s Leader of the APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC). Okotete was also appointed as the Executive Director, Business Development, Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank in 2017. Between 2011 and 2015, she served as the Special Assistant and Adviser to the Executive Governor of Delta State on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Bello Muhammad Goronyo (Sokoto)
Bello Muhammad-Goronyo is a former Commissioner for Information in Sokoto State during the tenure of Governor Aminu Tambuwal before he defected from the ruling PDP to the opposition APC.
Uju Kennedy Ohanenye (Anambra)
Kennedy-Ohanenye (Anambra)
Kennedy-Ohanenye is a businesswoman with stakes in real estate and education who cut a name for herself when she participated in the APC ‘s presidential primary on July 8 2022. She however stepped down for Tinubu alongside some others.
Dele Alake (Ekiti)
Henry Dele Alake is currently the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, but he has been cleared in the first batch of ministerial nominee.
A former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State , he worked as Editor of the now defunct National Concord from 1995 to June 1999.
Lateef Fagbemi, SAN (Kwara)
Lateef Fagbemi is a Senior Advocate of Nigerian (SAN) and a jurist who has made a significant contribution to the development of Law and Justice in Nigeria. He was called to the bar in 1984. He was born on June 22, 1956 in Ijagbo, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Olawale Edun (Ogun)
Olawale Edun is a seasoned financial expert with extensive experience in the banking sector. Edun served as Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State during the two- term tenure of Tinubu at the helm of the state between 1999 and 2007.
Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo)
Adebayo Adelabu is a former Deputy Governor, Operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria and a 2019 governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Oyo State. Adebayo was appointed by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in February 2014 as Deputy Governor, Operations, of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim (Nasarawa)
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim was formerly the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) between December 1, 2020 and May 27, 2021, when former He was later redeployed as the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons.
Prof Ali Pate (Bauchi)
Muhammad Ali Pate, a former Minister of State for Health, is a physician and a professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership in the Department of Global Health and Population at Harvard University in the USA. He formerly served as the Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population and Director of the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF) at the World Bank Group.
Prof Joseph Utsev (Benue)
Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev is a civil engineer and a former Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Wanune, Tarka LGA of Benue state. He was an associate Professor at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi. Utsev, an indigene of Buruku LGA, was a commissioner in the Samuel Ortom government.
Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno)
Abubakar Kyari was the Acting National Chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress after former National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu resigned from office in July and was recently replaced by former governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje on August 2, 2023, following the party’s National Excutive Council approval.
Also, he is a former senator representing Borno North Senatorial District of Borno State at the 9th National Assembly from 2015 until his resignation in April 2022.
Kyari was born in Borno State on 15 January 1963 to the late Brigadier Abba Kyari, a former military Governor of the old North Central State between 1967 and 1975.
He attended the University of Tennessee, Martin in the USA where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in 1986 and in 1989, obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA, from Webster University, St Louis Missouri, USA.
Senator John Enoh (Cross River)
John Enoh was a senator in 2015 representing Central Senatorial District of Cross River State in the 8th National Assembly on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party ,PDP. In May 2017, he defected to the ruling All progressive Congress (APC) and contested for governorship and lost to ex- governor Ben Ayade.
Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba)
Sani Abubakar Danladi is a former Acting Governor and Deputy Governor of Taraba State. He also served as the senator representing Taraba North Senatorial Zone on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party before he was impeached and then defected to the APC on whose platform he contested and lost the governorship election in the state in 2019.
He was born on May 20, 1967, in Bachama, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Engineer Abubakar Momoh (Edo)
Engr. Momoh is a two- time member of the House of Representatives from Etsako East Federal Constituency in Edo State.
In 2018 he took a gamble and defected from the APC to PDP and contested and lost the Senatorial seat for Etsako East.
He is a Civil engineer by professional training. He promptly retraced his steps to the APC.
Bosun Tijani (Ogun)
He was born on July 20, 1977. He is an entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), the leading Pan-African innovation and technology centre.
Tijani is widely acknowledged as a pioneer and industry leader in the African technology ecosystem and was named as one of the 100 Most Influential People on the continent by New Africa Magazine.
He initiated the first visit of Mark Zuckerberg to Nigeria in August 2016 as part of efforts to place Africa on the global technology map. He has also hosted other global technology leaders in Nigeria, including former Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey in 2019. Recently in June, 2023, he hosted a fireside chat with Microsoft founder and co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates.
In 2019, under his leadership, CcHUB acquired Kenya’s iHub and launched the CcHUB Design Lab in Kigali, Rwanda in the same year. He has also expanded CcHUB’s Pan-African footprint into Southern Africa by opening CcHUB Namibia, the main tech hub in Windhoek, Namibia in 2023.
Tunji Alausa, M.D (Lagos)
Alausa is the Executive Chairman and Chief Medical Officer, Dialysis Care Centre in Homer Glen, Illinois, United States
The Epe-born Nephrologist studied Medicine at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). He was Assistant Professor and Attending Physician at Rush University Medical Center – Cook County Hospital.
He was named America’s Best Physician in 2007 and 2012 and served as Chief Medical Resident, Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL.
Tanko Sununu (Kebbi)
He represents Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency. He was a Member of Board of Management Federal Medical Centre Katsina (2013), Member of Board Management Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto (2018).
The trained Obstetrician and Gynaecologist was born on February 2, 1967.
Ishak Salako (Ogun)
Dr Ishaq Kunle Salako is a medical practitioner and former Commissioner for Health in Ogun State. He’s the Co-ordinator, Ogun West Stakeholders Forum.
Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe)
Ibrahim Geidam is a senator from Yobe East Senatorial District. He handed over to Governor Mai Mala Buni on 29 May 2019.
Geidam was born on September 15, 1956 in Bukarti village, Yunusari Local Government Area in Yobe State. He attended the Borno Teachers’ College (BTC), Maiduguri from 1974 to 1979 where he obtained a Teachers’ Certificate. He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1981 and 1983, earning a Diploma in Accountancy.
Later he returned to Ahmadu Bello University, earned a BSc in Accountancy Degree in 1990 and became a member of the Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria.
In April 2007, Ibrahim Gaidam was elected Deputy Governor of Yobe State on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and was sworn in on May 29, 2007. He was sworn in as Governor on January 27, 2009, following the death of Governor Mamman Bello Ali in Florida of a liver problem. Geidam was elected as senator representing Yobe East in 9th NASS on 23 March.
Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau)
Simon Bako Lalong CON, born on May 5, 1963, served as Governor of Plateau State between 2015 and 2023.
He was appointed Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Committee which delivered the election of Ahmed Bola Tinubu as president.
After his elementary and secondary school education in Shendam Local Government Area, he proceeded to the School of Preliminary Studies (S.P.S) Keffi, passing out in 1986.
He then continued to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduating in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in Law.
This was immediately followed by the Law School in Lagos, where he was also called to the Bar. He later obtained a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Jos, in 1996.
In October 2000, he became Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, occupying that position until 2006, following a political upheaval within the House. The seven years which he served in that position made him the longest serving Speaker of the House in the history of Plateau State. During that period he was two times (2001–2002) elected as the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of the 36 states of Nigeria.
In the 2019 Plateau governorship election, Lalong was re-elected as governor of the state, having polled 595,582 votes against his closest rival, General Jeremiah Useni of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 546,813 votes.
In the 2023 general election, Lalong contested for a seat in the Senate to represent Plateau South Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly, but he lost the election to Napoleon Bali who won on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party.
Lola Ade John (Lagos)
Lola Ade John is a seasoned Information and Technology expert and a leader in designing, integrating, deploying, and managing core systems for global banking institutions.
She studied Computer Science at the University of Ibadan in 1984. She has worked with Access Bank, United Bank of Africa, Ecobank and Novateur Business Technology. She was also a System Analyst at The Shell Petroleum Development Company Of Nigeria Ltd for 7 years and 3 months.
Her has experience in the areas of leveraging and managing technology to drive strategic business results, structure efficient and effective implementation and support of technology to benefit small, medium and large-scale central and distributed working environments.
She has led the integration and implementation of systems focused on facilitating corporate change management, increasing technology service delivery, and the strategic advantage of businesses while at the same time reducing business operating risks.
Shuaibu Abubakar (Adamawa)
Abdulrahman Shuaibu Abubakar FCNA, FNIM, FCMA was born on July 5, 1965. He holds the titles of Talban Mubi and Ebubedike Ndigbo of Mubi. He is an accountant, businessman, philanthropist and lawmaker.
He represents Mubi North/Mubi South/Mahia federal constituency of Adamawa state in the House of Representatives, and is a member of the country’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abdulrahman was born in Digil, Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State on 5 July 1965, to the family of Alhaji Shuaibu Liman Difil. He is the second of 15 children. His education began at Demonstration Primary School, Mubi, where he was a pupil from 1972 to 1973. In 1974, he moved on to Digil Primary School, also in Mubi, and obtained a primary school leaving certificate in 1978. His secondary education took place at the Federal Government College, Maiduguri, from 1978 to 1983.
Between 1983 and 1984, he attended the School of Basic Studies in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, then proceeded to study accounting at the Institute of Administration (also in ABU, Zaria), and graduated in 1987. He also obtained a certificate in computer and computer operation.
He has two Master’s degrees from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, the first in Business Administration (Banking and Finance; awarded in 1998) and the second in Economics (awarded in 2002). He also attended several additional courses at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, the Lagos Business School and the Manchester Business School.
Tahir Mamman
Tahir Mamman OON, SAN is a professor of law, Senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), educational administrator and a former Director-General of the Nigeria Law School.
Mamman was born in 1954 at Michika in Adamawa State. He holds a LL.B degree at the Ahmadu Bello University in 1983 and was called to the bar in the Nigerian Law School in 1984. He bagged a Master’s degree from the University of Warwick, England in 1987 and a PhD from the same institution in 1990.
He is the Vice chancellor of Baze University, Abuja and member of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development commission, NDDC.
He is a recognised member of the Body of Benchers. In 2010 he became a board member of the International Association of Law Schools based in Washington DC.
In September 2015, he was conferred as a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN). In recognition of his efforts, the Federal Government of Nigeria bestowed him with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
Professor Tahir Mamman joined party politics in 2014 after completing his tenure as Director general of The Nigeria Law School. He ran for Adamawa state Governorship election on the platform of the APC in December 2014 along with three other aspirant.
In June 2020, the All Progressive Congress national executive committee appointed and inaugurated him as a Member representing the northeast geopolitical zone/ acting national vice chairman north east in the National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All progressive congress APC.
Aliyu Sabi (Niger)
Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi CON, was born on January 10, 1967, He was a senator from Niger North Senatorial District of Niger State at the Nigerian 8th National Assembly and 9th National Assembly. He was also the Deputy Chief Whip at the Nigerian 9th National Assembly.
Abdullahi participated in the March 28, 2015, National Assembly Election in Niger and was announced as the winner.
In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander Of The Order Of The Niger (CON) was conferred on him by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Alkali Ahmed (Gombe)
Ahmed Alkali, born on February 12, 1969, was elected as a lawmaker representing the Gombe North Senatorial District in August 2010 by-elections after the death of Senator Kawu Peto Dukku.
He was re-elected in 2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as in 2015 and 2019 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
Sen. Alkali lost Gombe North Senatorial seat to Former Gov. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo in the 2023 general elections
He holds the honorary title of Sarkin Gabas Dukku. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics, and became a public servant. Alhaji Alkali was formerly commissioner of information in the administration of Governor Danjuma Goje.
Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa)
Heineken Lokpobiri, born on March 3, 1967, was elected Senator in April 2007 on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform in Bayelsa State to represent Bayelsa West Constituency.
He was also the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Lokpobiri received an LL.B (Hons) in 1994 from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, BL February 1995. An expert in Environmental Rights and Environmental Law, he holds a Doctorate degree Ph.D. from Leeds Beckett University, UK in 2015.
Uba Maigari (Taraba)
Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu was a former Deputy Governor of Taraba State.
He was impeached under controversial circumstances shortly after the 2003 general election.
Zephaniah Jissalo (FCT)
Hon. Zaphaniah Jisalo was born on April 3, 1970. He is from the Abuja Municipal/Bwari Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, Abuja.
Hon. Jisalo began his education at Garki Primary School, Abuja and graduated with a First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC).
He proceeded to Government Secondary School, Karu, Abuja where he obtained a General Certificate of Examination (GCE) and West African Senior Certificate (WASC).
He had his tertiary education at the University of Jos, Plateau State and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education.
Festus Keyamo (Delta)
Keyamo hails from Effurun, Delta State. He was born on January 21, 1970 to the family of Pa Matthias Keyamo and Mrs Caroline Abeni Keyamo.
Keyamo had his primary education at the Model Primary School. He completed his post-elementary school studies at Government College, Ughelii still in Delta state.
Festus gained admission into Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State for his tertiary education where he obtained a law degree in 1992. He was later called to the Nigerian Bar in December 20, 1993.
He first started his law career at the Gani Fawehinmi’s chambers but later left to establish his own chambers called the Festus Keyamo Chambers.
He was appointed the Nigerian Mister of State for the Niger Delta on August 21, 2019 after the Senate screened his nomination. After a while, he was redeployed to the Ministry of Labor and Employment, just a month after this appointment. He served as a spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Committee that delivered Tinubu as president.
Mariya Mahmud (Kano)
Mariya Mahmoud is a former Commissioner for Higher Education in Kano State and a strong ally of former Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, appointed National Chairman of the APC. She was nominated to replace Maryam Shettima whose earlier nomination was rescinded by President Tinubu shortly before the Senate started the screening of the nominees on Friday, August 4.
THE BAD
Ex-Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers)
Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, is a former Minister of Education under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
He was also a two-time Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State between 1999 and 2007.
Born on December 13, 1967, Wike obtained his Bachelor of Law degree from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology before proceeding to Law School in 1997. He is member of the PDP.
Wike’s anti-party activity, following his decision to work against his party the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during the 2023 general election, his acceptance of the ministerial nomination which has side-lined the APC in Rivers State and a trending video in which he said he would never join APC, which is “like leaving Malaria, PDP, and embracing cancer, APC,” are actions and statements likely to reduce him in the eye of the public and be association with the government.
Ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna)
Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past two- term Governor of Kaduna State on the platform of APC is a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja between 2003 and 2007, as well as a founding member of the ruling APC.
He served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007 and played a significant role in restructuring the capital city.
Born in February 16, 1960, el-Rufai is a first-class graduate of Quantity Surveying from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
On Friday, August 4, 2023 an NGO, the National Coordinator of an NGO, NMP, took Nigerians to a dark past of the ministerial nominee from Kaduna State. National Coordinator of the body, Mr Bako John Isaac; National Secretary, Mallam Garba Kaoje and Director of Publicity, Alhaji Salisu Abdulkadir, reminded the “Federal Government, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other anti-graft agencies that the proceeds of the sales of Federal Government properties, valued at N32 billion, was allegedly missing and it became a subject of litigation against the former Kaduna governor in 2019.
“At the time, legal proceedings were initiated against El-Rufai by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission between 2018 and 2019, he had become the Executive governor of Kaduna State, hence, he enjoyed immunity, thereby making it impossible for the anti-graft agency to investigate or prosecute him.
“This was confirmed by Justice Binta Nyako via the Federal High Court ruling on 20th November, 2019, where she held that, ‘no court would stop the EFCC from investigating anyone in line with its constitutional mandate. No court, including this one, will allow itself to be used to shield anybody from being investigated by the 1st respondent.”
During screening last Thursday, Senator Karimi Sunday from Kogi West Senatorial District had wanted to raise a “very strong petition” against El-Rufai that bothered on insecurity, unity and national cohesion, but was he stopped by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who said “Our job here is to screen and of course, we can refer petitions to where petitions will be dealt with.”
THE UGLY
Adegboyega Oyetola (0sun)
Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola CON was born on September 29, 1954. He served as governor of Osun State from 2018 to 2022.
Oyetola was born in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State. He started his secondary education at Ifeoluwa Grammar School, Osogbo and graduated in 1972.
Oyetola proceeded to the University of Lagos and graduated with a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Insurance in 1978. He proceeded for his mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Potiskum, Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre between 1978 and 1979.
He obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos in 1990.
He contested in the Osun governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2018 and won. He lost his re-election bid in 2022 to Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Oyetola was the Chief of Staff to Rauf Aregbesola, his predecessor. The former Osun State governor was also allegedly implicated in the purchase of a property in the United Kingdom from Kola Aluko, a Nigeria businessman wanted for money laundering, according to a report, Pandora Papers which was published by the PREMIUM TIMES in Nigeria in 2021.
Oyetola also reportedly bought an offshore shell company in the British Virgin Islands popular as a safe haven for questionable affluent people. Pandora papers are a N11.9 million leaked document that a global consortium of Investigative Journalists, ICIJ, released in October 2021.
Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi)
Abubakar Atiku Bagudu CON, was born on December 21, 1961. He is the immediate past Governor of Kebbi State. He served as the Senator for Kebbi Central.
He obtained a BSc (Economics), Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Msc (Economics) University of Jos and M.A. (International Affairs). He is married to Zainab Bagudu.
Bagudu succeeded Adamu Aliero when he won the by-election for the Kebbi Central Senatorial seat, following Aliero’s appointment to become the Minister for FCT.
The former Kebbi governor was reportedly involved with all the offshore front companies and bank accounts – from the British Virgin Islands to Ireland, Switzerland, England, Guernsey, and Jersey – used to steal and launder billions of dollars belonging to Nigeria under the General Sani Abacha regime as a director, signatory on accounts or prime companies.
PREMIUM TIMES, part of a global journalist network team, which investigated the Panama Papers, noted that while was serving as governor of Kebbi State, the United States and Jersey authorities repatriated 308 million U.S. dollars stolen and laundered by Mr. Bagudu.
“Similarly, the 163 million US dollars recovered from Jersey in 2003 directly involved Mr Bagudu, who then negotiated a deal with the US and Jersey to return the funds to Nigeria in exchange for Jersey’s withdrawal of an extradition request and his free return to Nigeria,” the online newspaper.
“He spent six months in an American federal prison in Houston while awaiting extradition to Jersey. The deal to return the $163 million was to avoid that extradition.”
Bello Matawalle (Zamfara)
Bello Matawalle was born on February 12, 1969. He is the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State.
He obtained First School Leaving Certificate from Maradun Township Primary School in 1979. He graduated from VTC Bunza in 1984. He attended Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and later went to Thames Valley University, London.
After briefly serving in the Abacha-era House of Assembly and Commissioner from 1999 to 2003 in the Ahmad Sani Yerima administration in the Fourth Republic, he first won an election in 2003 as a member of the House of Representatives for Bakura/Maradun and retained the office until 2015 first as a member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) before switching to the People’s Democratic Party in 2011.
Between 1999 and 2003 he served as Zamfara Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Commissioner for Environment, Rural Development and then Commissioner for Youth and Sports.
Matawalle was elected into the House of Representatives in Bakura/Maradun Federal Constituency in May 2003 on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
Matawalle was re-elected in 2007, still on the platform of the ANPP, only to defect to PDP on which platform he was re-elected for a third term in 2011.
Four years after losing his Bakura/Maradun Constituency seat in 2015, Matawalle became the 2019 PDP governorship candidate and assumed office after a Supreme Court ruling disqualified the original winner. In 2021, he defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress after a defection rally in Gusau alongside most Zamfara State elected officials.
All through the period of electioneering and during the second quarter of the year, Matawalle was embroiled in a public quarrel with the Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC, arising from an indictment by the anti-graft agency. As recent as May 20, 2023, the EFCC disclosed that it was investigating the governor for diverting the sum of N70 billion meant for contacts in the state.
THE ADEOSUN TREATMENT
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning during the first tenure of the Muhammadu Buhari Administration, Kemi Adeosun, was forced to resign from office in November 2015. She stepped down from office after owning up to parading a forged youth service scheme certificate, following an expose by the media.
There are yet to be confirmed reports that some of the ministerial nominees are carrying forged academic and professional documents. Damning investigative media reports that may result from the follow-up on the screening exercise could re-enact the Adeosun saga to the embarrassment of the government and result in further loss of public confidence.
About the Author
Amos Esele is the Deputy Editor of THEWILL Newspaper. He has over two decades of experience on the job.
