Awaiting Buhari’s list of ministers

Only four elected Nigerian leaders have had the opportunity of presenting lists of Ministers after re-election. They are Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, first and only Prime Minister of Nigeria, President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, President Olusegun Obasanjo and now President Muhammadu Buhari, President Umaru Musa Yar’dua died in his first term without completing his term while President Goodluck Jonathan lost the Presidential election while seeking a re-election in 2015.

Except Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, both President Shagari and President Obasanjo retained less than 8% of the Ministers that they appointed in their first term. We do not know the percentage of Ministers President Buhari will retain in his second term but expectedly he will do it in his own way in spite of current rumours and innuendos.

Re-elected Presidents are very difficult to predict in their second term. The same goes with appointments of special advisers, senior special assistants and ambassadors.

In 1963, the following were appointed as Ministers by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. They are Muhammadu Ribadu (NNA)—Defence, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (UPGA)—Finance, Muhammadu Inuwa Wada (NNA)—Works and Survey, Zanna Bukar Dipcharima (NNA)—Commerce and Industries and Transport, Shehu Shagari (NNA)—Internal Affairs and Communications, Yusufu Maitama Sule (NNA)—Mines and Power, Ibrahim Waziri (NNA)—Economic Development and Education, Musa Yar’Adua (NNA)—Lagos Affairs, Dr. T.O. Elias (formerly NCNC)—Attorney-General and Justice, Dr. M.A. Majekodunmi (no party affiliation)—Health and Information, Chief J.C. Obande (NNA)—Establishments and Labour, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe (UPGA), Nuhu Bamali (NNA), Usman Mitambari (NNA), Hashim Adaji (NNA) and Ibrahim Tako (NNA)—all Ministers of State.

After the 1964 general elections, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa appointed the following as Ministers of States. They are Nuhu Bamali (external affairs), Mr. Jaja Nwachukwu (Finance), Mr. M.T. Mbu (Defence—Navy), Usman Maitambari (Transport), Hashim Adaji (Works), Ibrahim Tako (Defence—Army), Mr. T.E. Orodi (Lagos Affairs), Chief H.O. Davies (Industries), Chief A. Akerele (Information), Abdul Razaq (Transport) and Mr. D. Ibekwe (External Affairs). The Prime Minister also appointed the following as Ministers of Cabinet rank. They are Muhammadu Ribadu (Defence), Chief Fesus Okie-Eboh (Finance), Shehu Shagari (Internal Affairs), Mahammadu Inuwa Wada (Works), ZannaBukar Dipcharima (Transport), Mr. Raymond Njoku (Communications), Dr. Kingsley O. Mbadiwe (Trade), Mr. Jaja Nwachukwu (Aviation), Adeniran Ogunsanya (Housing and Surveys), Chief A.M.A. Akinloye (Industries), Ayo Rosiji (Information), Mr. R.A. Akinjide (Education), Mr. Adeleke Adedoyin (Labour), Mr. Alade Lamuye (Natural Resources and Research), Yusufu MaitamaSule (Mines and Power), Waziri Ibrahim (Economic Development), Dr. T.O. Elias (Attorney-General and Justice), Dr. M.A. Majekodunmi (Health) and Chief J. C. Obande (Establishments).

On Thursday October 18, 1979, President Shehu Shagari wrote to then Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas requesting Senate approval for the following as Ministers with Cabinet ranks. They are M. Mohammed Ibrahim Hassan (Bauchi), M. Adamu Chiroma (Borno), Mr. Isaac Shaahu and Mr. Paul Unongo (Benue), Professor Iya Abubakar (Gongola), Umaru Dikko and Professor Ishaya Audu (Kaduna), Bello Maitama Yusuf (Kano), Akanbi Oniyangi (Kwara), Ndagi Mamudu (Niger), Mrs. Adenike Ebun Oyagbola (Ogun), Mr. Samuel Adebisi Ogedengbe (Ondo), Chief Richard O. Akinjide (Oyo), Mr. John Jatau Kadiya, Mr. George Baba, Hoomkwap (Plateau), Mr. Victor Masi (Rivers), Ibrahim Gusau (Sokoto), Mr. D.C. Ugwuand Mr. Chimezie Ikeazor (Anambra), Professor Sunday Matthew Essang (Cross River), Mr. Israel AmadiEmina (Bendel), Dr. Sylvester Ugoh and Dr. I.I. Maduike and Dr. Wahab Olaseinde Dosunmu (Lagos).

President Shagari also submitted the following as Ministers with non-cabinet rank. They are Alhaji Ahmed Musa (Bauchi), Chief P. Bolokor, Asheikh Jarma, Alhaji Ali Baba, M. IroAbubakar Dan-Musa, Bilyamin Usman (Kano), Mr. Ademola Thomas (Lagos), Chief OluAwotesu (Ogun), Chief Mrs. J. Akinrinade (Oyo), AlhajiAhmuduNahuce (Sokoto), Chief E. Okoi-Obuli (Cross River), Mamman Ali Makele (Kwara), Mr. CladiusAgboolaBamgboye (Ondo) and Dr. JakiriIgbani (Rivers).

On October 17, 1983, the re-elected President Shehu Shagari submitted his list of Ministers presided over again by Dr. Joseph Wayas for Senate approval. They are Chief Eleazar Chukwuemeka Anyoaku and Mr John Nwodo Jnr. (Anambra), Sule Katagun, Ibrahim Tahir and Magaji Mu’azu (Bauchi), Chief J.A. Orhorho and Mr. Ralph Uweche (Bendel), Mr. Audu Ogbeh and Dr. E.Y. Atanu (Benue), Adamu Ciroma, Muhammadu Buhari and AlhajiHaliruDantoro (Borno), Dr. Simi Johnson (Lagos), Senator Idirisu Ibrahim (Niger), Kehinde Sofola, SAN (Attorney-General of the Federation) (Ogun), Dr. Bode Olowoporoku (Ondo), S.M. Afolabi and Dr. Bimbo Akintola (Oyo), Hassan Mohammed and Mr. Robert Doshun Gumut (Plateau), Chief Okoi-Obuli and Dr. A.J. Okonno, Ali Baba and Mr. Paul Wampana (Gongola), Chief Emmanuel Adiele (Imo), Dr. Umaru Dikko and AlahjiIsma’ila Isa (Kaduna), Yusuf Miatama Sule, Bilyamin Usman and Hamisu Musa (Kano), Dr. Ishmael Igbani and Mrs. E. Diete-Spiff (Rivers) and Muhammadu Lugga, Idirisu Koko and Bala Sokoto (Sokoto).

In 1999, following Senate approval President Obasanjo appointed the following as Ministers. They are General T.Y. Danjuma, Chief Bola Ige, Adamu Bello, Dr. (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe, Engnr Mustapha Bello, Muhamadu Arzika, Mrs Boma Bromillow Jack, Professor A.B. Borishade, Muhammad Kabir Said, Engnr. Mohammed Abba-Gana, Adamu Chiroma, Professor A.B. C. Nwosu, Kolawole B. Jamodu, Professor Jerry Gana, Chief S.M. Afolabi, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, Dr. OlusegunAgagu, Professor Turner T. Isoun, Chief OjoMaduekwe, Col. Mohammed B. Kaliel(rtd), HajiaAishatu M.S. Ismail and Chief Tony Anenih.

On July 15, 2003, President Olusegun Obasanjo swore-in the first list of Ministers following his re-election. They are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nenadi Esther Usman, IdrisWaziri, Cornelius Adebayo, Franklin Ogbuagwu, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rowland Oritsejafor, Fabian Osuji, Bintu Ibrahim Musa, Broderick Bozimo, BalaMande, Nasir El-Rufai, Oluyemi Adeniji, SaiduBalarabe Samaila, Olutayo Lambo, Alice Mobolaji Osomo, Chukwuemeka Chikelu, IyorchiaAyu, Abubakar Tanko, Husseini Akwanga, Lawan Gana Guba, Franklin Nweke, Turner Isoun, Odion Ugbesia, Musa Mohammed, Precious Sekibo, Mohammed Musa, Muktar Shagari, Adamu Bello, Bamidele Dada, RitaAkpan, Adeseye Ogunlewe and Saleh Shehu.

President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn-in on May 29, 2015 for his first term. He swore-in his Ministers on November 11, 2015. As from June the nation will be expecting his second list of Ministers following his re-election.

• Teniola, former director at the presidency wrote from Lagos.