{OP-ED} Ministers: President Buhari’s Choice Of Core Progressives Refreshing

By Sodiq Yusuf

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally unleashed his ministerial nominees. The list is a star studded one and a refreshing one. How?

The incoming members of the Federal Executive are mostly thoroughbred and core progressives who have at one point or the other served well in their capacities as administrators, technocrats and practical politicians in all ramifications.

The list has in it the immediate past Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Former Speaker of the Lagos State house of Assembly, Olorunibe Mamora, Sunday Dare, the incumbent chairman of the Nigerian Communications commission NCC, Niyi Adebayo; Former Governor of Ekiti state among other sundry progressives who are returning.

Very Refreshing the list is to the fold of progressive politics in Nigeria. Over the years, the dearth of many progressive minded politicians have in no small measure contributed to the big rot in all strata of the nation’s socio-economic life which the Buhari administration has been trying to change since 2015.

This new team of Ministers has in it highly cerebral professionals turned politicians. Among these individuals is Rauf Aregbesola; the immediate past Governor of the State of Osun. Aregbesola who ruled Osun between November 2010-2018 is a man of many parts

His numerous achievements during his reign as Governor gave way to the adoption of some of his laudable people oriented policies into what is today known as the National Social Investment Programme N-SIP with programmes like N-POWER, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Marketmoni and Tradermoni among others. These programmes were taken from initiatives like O-YES, O-MEAL, Osun Micro Credit Loan among others.

Aregbesola constructed roads, built schools, provided jobs for the masses, provided security for his people, reduced drastically the poverty situation of Osun and above all raised the level and bar of governance in Osun to an enviable height. His nomination to serve in the cabinet is a plus to the Buhari administration.

Sunday Dare is a Communication and media relations expert; a man that has continued to prove his mettle over the years. One interesting thing is that Dare has been a core progressive and a strong loyalist of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His emergence as a Minsiter-Designate is however not an understatement of his ability to deliver.

Olunibe Mamora is another loyal party man that has made the cut this time around. A former speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Mamora’s doggedness and continued loyalty to the party even in the face of adversaries is a testament to his undying love for the true ideals of progressivism whose passion is the all round and collective development of the society.

Next is Festus Keyamo, SAN. For years, Keyamo has not abhorred his love for progressive politics in defending the party and its candidates at all times. His selection as the spokesperson for President Buhari’s campaign council in 2019 is not also a surprise because his unalloyed support and commitment to the progressive course.

The incoming members of President Buhari’s cabinet in the Next Level is a composition of Ideas, Doggedness, Commitment and Passion for excellence. It is also a team comprising thorough bred professionals and politicians who are progressively minded to seek the development of Nigeria and the passionate wishes of this president for this country.

Here is the full list as announced by the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan;

1. Abia – Uchechukwu Samson Ogah
2. Adamawa – Mohammed musa Bello
3. Akwa Ibom – God’swill Akpabio
4. Anambra – Dr Chris Ngige
5. Anambra – sharon Ikeazu
6. Bauchi – Adamu Adamu
7. Bauchi – Ambassador Mariam Kategu
8. Bayelsa – Timipre Sylvia
9. Benue – George Akume
10. Borno – Mustapha Baba Shehuri
11. Cross River – Goddi Jeddi Agba
12. Delta – Festus Keyamo
13. Enugu – Ogbonnaya Onu
14. Edo – Osagie Ehanire
15. Edo – Clement Agba
16. Ekiti – Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo
17. Enugu – Geoffrey Onyema
18. Gombe – Isa Ibrahim Patami
19. Imo – Emeka Nwajiuba
20. Jigawa – Sulieman Adamu
21. Kaduna – Zainab Ahmed
22. Kaduna – Mohammed Mahmud
23. Kano – Sabo Nanono
24. Kano – Major Bashir Sani
25. Katsina – Hadi Serika
26. Kebbi – Abubakar Malami
27. Kogi – Ramatu Tijani
28. Kwara – Lai Mohammed
29. Kwara – Gbemisola Saraki
30. Lagos – Babatunde Raji Fashola
31. Lagos – Adeleke Mamora
32. Nasarawa – Mohammed Abdullahi
33. Niger – Zubairu Dada
34. Ogun – Olamilekun Adegbite
35. Ondo – Tayo Alaosuadura
36. Osun – Rauf Aregbesola
37. Oyo – Sunday Dare
38. Plateau – Pauline Talin
39. Rivers – Rotimi Amaechi
40. Sokoto – Mohammed Dangidi
41. Taraba – Sale Mamman
42. Yobe – Abubakar Aliyu
43. Zamfara – Sadiya Umar Farouk.

We wish the incoming members of the Federal Executive council all the best as they pass through their screening and confirmation process.