A viral WhatsApp message claims that the currently screened ministerial nominees have already been attached portfolios to them, but some of the president’s aides have come out to say it’s not true.
According to the story, the nominees have the following portfolios attached to them:
BREAKING:
MINISTERS AND THEIR PORTFOLIOS
- Festus Keyamo, SAN – Minister of Justice Attorney General
- Geoffrey Onyeama – Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed – Minister of Finance
- Mej. Gen. (RTD) Bashir S. Magashi – Minister of Defence
- Adamu Adamu – Minister of Education
- Sabo Nanono – Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment
- Chris Ngige – Minister of Labour and Employment
- Mohammed Musa Bello – Minister of Federal Capital Territory
- Ogbonnaya Onu – Minister of Science and Technology
- Timipre Silva – Minister of Solid Minerals
- Abubakar Malami, SAN – Minister of Interior
- Rauf Aregbesola- Minister of Budget and National Planning
- Babatunde Fashola – Minister of Power
- Mohammed H. Abdullahi- Minister of Works
- Mustapha Baba Shehuri – Minister of Housing
- Sen. George Akume – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
- Rotimi Amaechi – Minister of Transportation
- Dr. Osagie Ehanire – Minister of Health
- Pauline Tallen – Minister of Women Affairs
- Sen. Godswill Akpabio – Minister of Niger Delta
- Lai Mohammed – Minister of Information
- Dr. Muhammadu Mahmoud- Minister of Environment
- Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu – Minister of Water Resources
- Engr. Saleh Mamman – Minister of Youth and Sprorts
- Hadi Sirika – Minister of Aviation
- Amb. Mariam Y. Katagum- Minister of state for Transportation
- Clement IK Anade Agba – Minister of State for Environment
- Arch. O. Adegbite – Minister of State for Aviation
- Sen. Adeleke O. Mamora – Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
- Gbamisola Saraki – Minister of State for Solid Minerals
- Ramatu Tijjani – Minister of State for Health
- Sharon O. Ikeazo- Minister of State for Niger Delta
- Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi – Minister of State for Power
- Dr. Ukechukwu Ogah- Minister of State for Works
- Sen. Tayo D. Alasoadura – Minister of State For Housing
- Sunday Dare – Minister of State for Education
- Amb. Zubairu Dada – Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development
- Sa’adiya Umar Farouk – Minister of State for Labour and Employment
- Abubakar D Aliyu – Minister of State for Budget and National Planning
- Dr. Aliyu Isa Ibrahim Pantami – Minister for Communication
- Emeka Nwajiuba – Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment
- Goddy Jedy-Agba – Minister of State for Petroleum
- Otunba Richard A. Adebayo – Minister of State For Defense
This claim coincides with similar news published on a Facebook page on the 4th of July 2019.
However, our research shows that as at today, President Muhammadu Buhari was still expecting an official communication from the National Assembly to enable him inaugurate his ministers designate and assign ministries to them, according to his Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang.
Enang, who addressed journalists on the 1st of August said, “the President upon receipt of the communication from the National Assembly will, on a date he will fix, notify the screened and cleared nominees and inaugurate them as appropriate.”
He said the President did not assign portfolios to the ministerial nominees because the constitution did not ask him to do so.
Also, in response for more information, Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari called it: “fakest of all news“.
Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New media, Bashir Ahmad, on his Twitter page, urged Nigerians to disregard any list of ministers’ portfolios making the rounds on social media. According to him, the list will be officially announced by President Buhari during inauguration.
Ahmad on his Twitter page wrote: “So someone makes a list of Ministers-designate and assigns portfolios to them. The assigned list is now trending on WhatsApp as usual”.
