COVER
Kudos, Knocks Greet Tinubu’s Ministerial List
…Tinubu Ministerial List
By Jude Opara, Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu yesterday forwarded the long awaited ministerial list to the Nigerian Senate for the necessary screening and confirmation.
The list, which has four immediate past governors, seven women and 17 other nominees, has generated varying reactions from different segments of the society.
While some analysts welcomed the list, others said there was nothing to cheer about the list, which they claimed was populated mainly by politicians as against expectations that technocrats will be appointed.
Read Also: Tinubu’s aide disowns ministerial list, says it’s ‘mere fabrications’
In his reaction, a former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Waziri Bulama said the list is fair enough because it was able to address some of the burning national questions that bother on gender, inclusiveness and the ability to deliver on the job.
Bulama, who spoke to DAILY ASSET, noted that the provisional list has taken care of women representation with each of the six zones of the country having at least one female nominee.
He also observed that there are technocrats who have been able to distinguish themselves in their chosen career as well as tested politicians who have the capacity to operate efficiently in a country like Nigeria.
“For me the list should be seen in three main fronts: the gender classification, talking about youth and women representation. The second one is the balancing to capture the interest of every part of the country and the third is the quality of the nominees.
“There are technocrats with people like Lateef Fagbemi and Nasir El-Rufai. These are people that have distinguished themselves over time and I believe they will equally deliver now. There are people like Prof. Pate who really can interpret policies. So for me, the list is well balanced,” Bulama said.
Read Also: Tinubu’s Ministerial List Not Ready – Alake
In his own reaction which he posted on his verified Twitter handle, fiery Kaduna activist, Senator Shehu Sani said the list was more of reward for those he described as “vultures” who allegedly played Judas during the election.
Sani, a former Senator claimed that President Tinubu rewarded ‘some vultures’ for playing Judas in the last general elections.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio read the ministerial list at plenary on Thursday, which contained the names of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike former Ebonyi state governor, Dave Umahi, former Jigawa state governor, Abubakar Badaru and 24 other nominees.
Sani who is well known for his outspokenness described some of the nominees as ‘serpents with a known history of betrayal’.
“The Ministerial list; The President embraced some Serpents with a known history of treachery and rewarded some vultures for playing the Judas. Appeasing a snake in a palace doesn’t spare the King,” Sani tweeted.
Senate Commences Screening Monday
The senate will commence the screening of the 28 man ministerial list earlier sent to her yesterday by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu, from monday next week. The screening will run through the week, beginning from 11am monday and 10am on subsequent days.
President Bola Tinubu had submitted his Ministerial list to the Senate yesterday; comprising a diverse group of former governors and technocrats. The list was presented in a letter addressed to the Senate President and read at the floor of the Senate during plenary.
The responsibility of delivering the list fell upon Femi Gbajabiamila, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to President Tinubu. He had entered the revered Chamber at precisely 1.18 pm, promptly delivering the letter at 1.19 pm.
However, at a press briefing, Senate Spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), commended the President Tinubu for sending the list before the constitutional deadline of 60 days upon swearing in, maintaining that the screening would commence on Monday next week, and will run through the week.
Senator Adaramodu, who is expecting high velocity performance from the ministerial nominees, noted that the screening would be thorough and not wishy washy.
“The Senate is happy to receive the ministerial list before the constitutional deadline of 60 days upon swearing in the new government. We have shelved our annual vacation which we ought to have announced today so we can begin the screening next week, starting from 11am Monday. The screening will be thorough. The nominees will satisfy all criteria for delivery; mental, character, energy because they are the oxygen the government needs to fly this Nigeria aeroplane to the Promised Land,” he said.
On not apportioning portfolios to the ministerial nominees, he noted that the job of a minister is like that of a governor, who doesn’t need to be an engineer to build bridges for his people or be military officer to be able to provide security for his people.
“The ministers wouldn’t have to have an expertise in all spheres of human endeavors. In special cases, of course expertise will be considered, like in Health and Judiciary. But in a ministry like Special Duties, what would the minister study to be qualified? So, we will rely on their experience,” he added.
On the nominees with allegations of misappropriation of funds like in the case of some former Governors, the Senate.
“We will check everyone out accordingly, but don’t forget all the nominees had undergone security checks and subsequent clearances before their names were made public.
“However, we will be glad to receive reports of allegations of misappropriation of public funds, from their constituents so we can have grounds to pin them down,” the Spokesman said.
States left out of the ministerial list are Adamawa, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Osun, Yobe and Zamfara.
The nominees are Abubakar Momoh, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama, Arch Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Barrister Hannatu Musawa, Chief Uche Nnaji, Dr. Betta Edu, Dr. Doris Aniche Uzoka, David Umahi, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Mohammed Badaru Abubabakar, Nasir el Rufai and Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo.
Others are Nkiru Onyejeocha, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Hon. Stella Okotete, Hon. Uju Ohaneye, Mr. Bello Muhammad, Mr. Dele Alake, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN, Mr. Muhammad Idris, Mr. Olawale Edun, Mr. Waheed Adebayo Adelabu, Mrs. Suleiman Ibrahim, Prof. Ali Pate, Prof. Joseph Utsev, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Sen John Owan-Enoh and Sen. Sani Abubakar Danladi,
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.
The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna. The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils.The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.
A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request. The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
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