A WHO’S WHO OF THE MINISTERIAL NOMINEES
By Ifedayo Adebayo, Chinelo Onwualu and Terfa Tilley-Gyado
March 25, 2010 01:25AM
Nominated for ministerial appointment:
FIDELIA NJEZE (ENUGU) – Born 8 Jun 1964, Fidelia Njeze was appointed as Ministry of Defence (State) in 2007 and later redeployed as the Minister of State for Agriculture and Water Resources. She holds a B.Sc (Pharmacy) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was a Member of Enugu State Health Services Management Board. When appointed in 2007, she was believed to have received extra support and push from Governor Sullivan Chime, over Dan Shere, and Festus Uzor, both of whom were seen as loyalists to the immediate past governor of the state, Chimaroke Nnamani.
GODSDAY ORUBEBE (DELTA) – Appointed Minister for Special Duties in 2007 and later Minister of State, Niger Delta. He was however not sworn-in with his colleagues on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 due to what media report said was influenced by James Ibori's grievances that Mr. Orubebe had instituted a court action against the state government and erstwhile governor over allegations that he funded Yar'Adua's presidential campaign with state taxpayers' money. He was asked to withdraw the suit filed before his final confirmation.
ADETOKUNBO KAYODE (ONDO) – He was the Coordinator of the Yar'Adua/Goodluck Campaign Organisation in Ondo State. He was appointed as a minister of Labour and Productivity in 2007, while later redeployed in place of Micheal Aondoakaa as the former Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
HENRY ODEIN AJUMOGOBIA (SAN) (RIVERS) – Became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2003 and also the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Rivers State, and was appointed Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum in July 2007.
AKINLABI OLASUNKANMI (OSUN) – Born March 1956, a former senator representing Osun West senatorial district between 2003-2007. Was appointed the Minister for Youth in 2007 as a tip after the leadership of the party asked him to give way to the former governor of Osun State, Isiaka Adeleke, in the Senate so that there could be peace in the state.
DEZEANI ALLISON MADUKWE (BAYLESA) – Born on the 6th of December 1960 in Port Harcourt. Appointed the Minister of Transport in July 2007 before been redeployed as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development in December 2008. Mrs. Allison-Madueke has been investigated and indicted by the Senate for fraud. In October 2009, the Senate recommended her for prosecution for allegedly transferring N1.2 billion of a toll company into her private account without due process and in breach of concession agreement.
NUHU SOHO WYA (KOGI) – He is the former Minister of State for Power.
SHAMSUDEEN USMAN (KANO) – Shamsudeen Usman, who was appointed the finance minister in 2007, was also in December 2008 redeployed as deputy chairman of the Federal Executive Council as well as National Planning Minister.
DORA AKUNYILI (ANAMBRA) – Born on July 14, 1954, the former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC). Replaced John Odey as the Minister for Information and Communication in cabinet reshuffle on December 17 2008. She was a senior lecturer and consultant Pharmacologist in the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, between 1996 to 2000. She was the zonal secretary of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF) South Eastern zone.
Newly appointed
CHUKWUEMEKA NGOZI WOGU (ABIA) – she is a former Commissioner of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). Mr. Wogu is also a trained lawyer.
JOSEPHINE ANENIH (ANAMBRA) – Mrs. Anenih, a lawyer, was a chairwoman of the Federation of Women Lawyers from 1994-2001 and the first National Woman Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 1999-2005. An Igbo daughter from Anambra State but married to Tony Anenih of Edo State, also a former Minister of Works and Housing.
LABARAN MAKU (NASSARAWA) – He was the state commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, and later the deputy governor of Nasarawa State in 2003 as the running mate to Abdullahi Adamu. He was a senior editorial staff of Champion newspapers.
CHRIS OGWIEWENYI (EDO) – He is an engineer and has served as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Gas Company.
SULEIMAN BELLO (ZAMFARA) – He was the Executive Vice Chairman of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and a former delegate at the National Political Reform Conference in 2005.
MURTALA YAR'ÃDUA (KATSINA) – Murtala Yar'Adua is the oldest son of the late Shehu Yar'Adua, President Umar's big brother. He is a director in several companies in addition to running his own private oil company. Eight years ago, he was conferred with the traditional title of Tafidan Katsina in his home state.
SANUSI DAGGASH ( BORNO) – Born on December 22 1960, he was elected into the House of Representatives National Assembly of Nigeria in 1999 and represents a Federal Constituency in Borno State, Nigeria. A PDP National Establishment Committee member in 1997, he serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and is a member of several other Committees. In 1987-1991, he served the Nation as a member of Nigeria Football Association (NFA). He is an Architect with M.Sc in Development Economics in 1986.
BALA MOHAMMED ( SOKOTO) – He holds a bachelor degree in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1981) and Masters in Business Administration (1992). Mr Mohammed is a Sokoto State senator in the National Assembly. The 52 year-old was one of the most prominent figures in ensuring the ascent of Jonathan to the acting presidency. He has quickly established himself as part of Jonathan's inner circle after vocally expressing the need to impeach President Yar'Adua.
NDUESE ESSIEN (A/IBOM) – Nduese Essien is a close aide of Jonathan's and is a former leader of the South-South caucus in the House of Representatives, where he served from 1999 to 2003.
JOSEPHINE TAPGUN ( PLATEAU) – Wife of former governor of Pleateau State (Fidelis Tapgun)
ERNEST OLUBOLADE (EKITI) -The former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State.
OLUSEGUN OLUTOYIN AGANGA (LAGOS) – He is the Managing Director, Goldman Sachs.
ADAMU WAZIRI (YOBE) – Adamu Waziri is a two time gubernatorial candidate in Yobe State. He has however, lost a considerable grip in recent times as the state leader of the PDP. He is the former Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and Minister of State for Agriculture and Water Resources from Yobe State.
CAPT. EMMANUEL IHENEACHO (IMO) – A maritime and oil business man, the retired naval officer missed the cut when President Yar'Adua nominated him in the last major cabinet reshuffle. He was rejected as a ministerial nominee after a meeting by the Ohanaeze Youths leaders in Imo State stating that his nomination is against the political zoning formula of the state.
JUBRIL MARTINS KUYE ( OGUN) – The former Minister of State for Finance, Jubril Martins-Kuye, is a self-styled godfather of Ogun politics, who is leading a faction of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that is believed to be anti-Gbenga Daniel front. He was sacked as minister by Olusegun Obasanjo for allegedly not yielding to the former presidents' will of office.
Others are UMAR ALIYU (TARABA); AWODELE NAJIM ADEWOLE ALAO (OGUN); ABUBAKAR SADIQ MOHAMMED (GOMBE); YUSUF SULEIMAN (SOKOTO) RUBIA RUFAI( JIGAWA); MUSA SAD'AA ( KATSINA ); PROF. F ABDULAH (NIGER); M.K ABUBAKAR (KEBBI); MOHAMMED BELLO ADOKE (KOGI).