Tinubu nominates Ibrahim, Olawande as ministers, keeps mum on el-Rufai’s replacement 

THE GUARDIAN

A month after inaugurating his cabinet made up of 45 ministers cleared by the Senate and three weeks after he presided over his first and only Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yet, President Bola Tinubu yesterday nominated Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim to serve as the Minister of Youth, pending her confirmation by the Senate, ending intense jostling for the much-craved Youths portfolio.

The President further nominated Mr. Ayodele Olawande to serve as the Minister of State for Youth, pending his confirmation by the Senate. This brings the cabinet tally to 47 with the awaited replacement of three dropped nominees – former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai; former deputy governor of Taraba State, Sani Abubakar Danladi; and Stella Okotete from Delta State – expected to take the cabinet list to 50 ministers.

Ibrahim is a young medical doctor and most recently served as the President of the Progressive Young Women Forum (PYWF). She also served as the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 37-year-old is the daughter of Ibrahim Bio, a former Minister of Sports during President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Olawande, from Ondo State, is a community development expert and youth leader in the governing All Progressives Congress (APC). He most recently served in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Innovation from 2019 to 2023.

President Tinubu charged the two nominees to ensure that they consistently reflect the dynamism, innovative zeal, and unyielding productivity that are synonymous with the young people of Nigeria as they discharge their duties.

Earlier at the weekend, the Presidency had announced the appointment of Stanley Nkwocha as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Office of the Vice President, along with seven others.

Other appointments include Dr. Muhammad Bulama as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties; Tope Kolade Fasua as Special Adviser Economy (VP Office); Sadiq S. Jambo as S.A. Economy (VP Office); Mahmud Muhammad, Personal Assistant Domestic North-East (VP Office); Ahmed Ningi, SSA Digital Media and Emergency Management (VP Office); Musa Amshi Muhammad Al-Amin as SSA Special Duties (VP Office); and Emmanuella Eduozor as S.A. Multimedia Content Production.”

Also in the new set of appointments are Lagos Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, as principal secretary. His appointment had for long been expected, as far as June. Muri-Okunola is a 51 year-old lawyer, who joined the Lagos Civil service in 2001 as personal assistant to then Governor Tinubu.

By 2005, Tinubu appointed him Executive Secretary of the Land Use and Allocation Committee. Six years after, he was promoted permanent secretary and was appointed the head of service in December 2018.

Among those appointed is Moremi Ojudu, first daughter of Babafemi Ojudu, the former special political adviser to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. Moremi, who supported the Tinubu campaign, will serve as Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on Community Engagement in the Southwest.

Tanko Yakasai, Chioma Nweze, Abiodun Essiet and Abdulhamid Yahaya Abba were similarly appointed to serve the other five geographical zones. Yakasai is for Northwest, Essiet North Central, Nweze Southeast and Yahaya Abba Northeast.