Nigeria: Jonathan Swears In Four New Ministers, Redeploys One

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, July 09, (THEWILL) - President Goodluck Jonathan has sworn in four new cabinet members at Wednesday's Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

The Ministers are Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, a former Presidential aspirant and ex Governor of Kano State, who will now serve as Minister for Education.

Others are Dr. Steve Oru (Delta) - Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Abdul Bulama - Minister of Science and Technology, and Prince Adebayo Adeyeye - Minister of State for Works.

The President redeployed Ambassador Bashir Yuguda to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to serve as Junior Minister. He was former Junior Minister for Works.

'Let me congratulate you for this appointment but it is not an enviable appointment because in football match when you get to the injury time and a player is brought in you expect goals. This government has less than a year to go and you have been brought in this time, so you know the reason why you have been brought in.

'You have no time to sleep, unfortunately for you because first you have to learn how to climb the ropes, because maybe it is a different setting…

'But from your background we know that all of you are eminently qualified to be here and we know that it will not take you too many hours to settle down. We believe that you will perform not just to satisfy Mr. President but to satisfy Nigerians,' President Jonathan told the new Ministers after a brief swearing in ceremony at the Presidential Villa.