President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 swore in eleven new ministers in a major cabinet re-shuffle and assigned portfolio’s to the newly sworn in ministers.
Many of the new ministers are politicians and this may not be unconnected with the approach of 2015: the election year. They had been screened and cleared by the senate last February.
ThisDay reports their biographies as follows:
Ambassador Aminu Wali – Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador Aminu Wali, Nigeria’s ambassador to China is a respected politician from Kano State who has shown considerable support for President Goodluck Jonathan. Even while serving as ambassador in China, he is one of the president’s point men who has kept the PDP alive in Kano State for the president.
He had running battle with Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso over the control of the party structure before the governor eventually defected to the opposition APC.
Political pundits would consider his nomination as the only lifeline for the party ahead of the 2015 election, especially now that the party has lost the control of the state to the opposition party.
For some others however, Wali, a second republic politician who has never won an election in his political sojourn may however not be able to secure victory for the president, even with the respect he enjoys among the PDP Jam’iyya members in Kano when the chips are down.
Mrs Akon Eyakenyi – Minister of Lands and Housing
For those who know Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, her name echoes as an industrious, humble and honest woman who has never been found wanting in any position she has held. She’s among the women politicians who can rise up, conduct themselves admirably and do things in appropriate manners.
She was 54 last February, and her appointment is a welcome development and a moment to celebrate a woman who has become so accepted and by many who look up to her as the ultimate role model in Akwa Ibom State. Today, more women are beginning to contemplate trying out the political terrain– all thanks to her dexterity, uprightness and disciplined political life.
A former Commissioner in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi is an educationist, who is from Oron LGA is greatly admired.
While many would attribute her appointment to the 35% affirmative action and gender balancing, others said her performance in the Akwa Ibom civil service propelled her to the present position.
Gen. Aliyu Gusau – Minister of Defence
Known as a disciplined soldier, retired General Aliyu Gusau from Zamfara State is seen by many as a man nominated to refocus the military and add verve to the fight against terrorism in the country.
It has been widely remoured that Gusau accepted to serve in President Jonathan’s cabinet under the condition that the nation’s service chiefs and other security heads would be placed under his supervision.
As he comes on board, many believe that Gusau would restrategise ongoing security operations against Boko Haram in a way that they would begin to yield positive results and return peace to the North-east.
As a former National Security Adviser (NSA), he is expected to bring his experience and advice government competently.
Boni Haruna – Minister of Youth Development
Mr Boni Haruna was born on 12 June 1957. He studied Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and was elected as Adamawa State governor in April 1999. Haruna was re-elected governor in April 2003. Shortly before the April 2007 national elections, Haruna switched allegiance to the newly formed Action Congress (AC) party. In April 2009. He competed in the April 9, 2011 election for the Adamawa North Senatorial district on the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform and lost.
Dr. Tamuno Danagogo – Minister of Sports
Tamuno Wenike Danagogo, born on September 22, 1970, is a native of Abonnema, in Akuku Toru local Government area of Rivers State. He was the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs in Amaechi’s cabinet in November 2008. He later became the Commissioner, Ministry of Urban Development but got was accused of supervising the demolition of properties of those opposed to Governor Amaechi.
Danagogo, a close friend of the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike who had been deeply opposed to Amaechi opted out of Amaechi’s government in December 2013 when he declined to defect to the APC. His action was believed to have been engineered by Wike as a show of strength and relevance. And his eventual appointment is considered as a compensation for his loyalty to the president.
He holds a master’s degree in Law from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and in 2005, he proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he obtained his Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D in Private and Public Law specialising in Human Rights and Disputes Settlement.
Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan – Minister of Police Affairs
Hon. Jelili Adesiyan 59 and member of the PDP in Osun state holds first and second degrees from the University of Ibadan in the field of education.
An educationist, he served as commissioner for education in Osun state and he is a former Director General for the state ministry of Commerce and industry.
A teacher, Adesiyan worked in several private sector companies including Guinness Nigeria Limited and Johnson White United in Lagos before setting up his private firms such as Spy Emporium and Jot Image Nigeria Limited in which he was chairman and executive director respectively.
With a long history of political activism, he was the secretary of NADECO in Texas, USA, Assistant Secretary, Alliance for Democracy, Osun state, old Oyo state coordinator of NADECO national delegate, defunct Social Democratic Party campaign secretary, defunct SDP in old Oyo state and a strong youth activist under the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria.
Mrs. Laurentia Laraba Mallam – Minister of Environment
Mrs. Laurentia Laraba Mallam, born on June 17, 1949 and who hails from Southern Kaduna community, is a notable personality especially in the Christian fold where she held sway as the national president of the popular Catholic Women Organisation (CWO). She is a grassroots mobiliser of women, a reputation that has won her various roles in the political field in recent times. She was the Women Leader, Obasanjo/Atiku Presidential Campaign for the North-west Zone Committee in 2003. She was also the Women Leader, Yar’ Adua/Goodluck Presidential Campaign in the North-west Zone Committee in 2007 and she w as also a member of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign committee in the North-west between 2010 and 2011.
A Master’s degree holder in Public Administration, she was Chairperson, Zangon Kataf local government area between 1999 and 2002. She was Special Adviser on Women Affairs between 2003 and 2007 and Senior Special Assistant, Political between 2008 and 2011 in Kaduna State.
Basically, her strength lies in her activities within the CWO, which known to be highly organised and with membership spread across board .
Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro – Minister of State Defence
Senator Musiliu Olatunde Obanikoro was born in Lagos. He attended Saint Patrick Catholic School, Idumagbo, Lagos and Ahmadiyya College (Anwar-ul/Islam College). He travelled to USA where he obtained B.Sc degree in Public Affairs and Master’s Degree in Public Administration (M. P. A)
He returned to Nigeria in 1989 and was appointed a Caretaker Committee Chairman of Surulere Local Government. He was also elected as the Chairman, Lagos Island Local Government. He was appointed State Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture in 1999 and elected senator for Lagos Central in April 2003 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).
In April 2007 Musiliu Obanikoro ran for governor of Lagos State on the PDP ticket, but lost the election to Babatunde Fashola of the Action Congress. President Umaru Yar’Adua appointed Musiliu Obanikoro as Nigerian High commissioner to Ghana in May 2008.
Dr. Khaliru Alhassan – Minister of State for Health
Seen as a dark horse in Sokoto politics, Alhassan was with the State’s Ministry of Health before his ministerial appointment.
A trained medical doctor and a former Chief Medical Director of the State’s Specialist Hospital, he is not known to be an active politician neither is there any known strong connection between him and the presidency.
Alhassan’s last responsibility was the Director in charge of the Medical Services and Public Health in the Ministry of Health. The appointment of Alhassan as a minister took many pople unawares in his home state.
The Minister is a direct descendant of Nana Asma’ u who was the daughter of the pioneer leader of the Fulani Jihadist and great, great grandfather of the present Sultan, Sheikh Usmanu bin Fodiyo, according to reports.
Hajia Asabe Asmau Ahmed – Minister of State for Agriculture
Before her present appointment, Hajia Asabe Asmau Ahmed was the Special Adviser to Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State on Investment and Housing.
An educationist, Ahmed, a 1982 graduate of Language Art from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria is an astute politician in Niger State. Born on September 19, 1959 in Bida town, she started out as a secondary school teacher, and later joined the state civil service in 1979 with the Niger State Ministry of Education. She later transferred her service to Kaduna Refining and Petrol-Chemical Company in 1986. According to her resume, Hajia Ahmed, who has been a special adviser to Governor Aliyu since 2011, is presently undergoing a Masters degree programme in Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna. Asmau attended Ahmadu Bello University Staff School, Zaria for her primary education before gaining admission to the Government Girls Secondary School, Kawo, Kaduna where she obtained her West African School Certificate from 1970 and 1975 and the College of Education, Zaria for her National Certificate of Education from 1976 and 1979.
Alhaji Mohammed Wakil – Minister of State for Power
An astute politician, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil was until his appointment as a minister, the North-east National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He replaced Alhaji Girigiri Lawal, who was suspended by the party’s leadership. Wakil, according to sources, is said to be the godson of President Goodluck Jonathan. Wakil was leader in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003. He left to contest the PDP governorship ticket of Borno State in 2003. He was floored by Kashim Imam. In October, 2012, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP approved his appointment as the North-east National Vice Chairman of the party. Though seen as an Abuja-based politician, hence he’s not a grassroot person, a reason many doubt how he could unite the party in Borno State
