Politics

Nigeria’s Tinubu finally submits ministerial list to parliament

Published

1 year ago

July 27, 2023

Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has received the long-awaited ministerial list from President Bola Tinubu.

The list, contained in a letter to Senator Akpabio was delivered by the former Speaker, House of Representatives, and Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, Femi Gbajiabiamila, has 28 names, majorly contains names of politicians, a few from the private sector, and a notable member of the opposition party, and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Tinubu’s predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari assented to a bill in March which makes it mandatory for presidents and governors to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within sixty days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly.

The submission on Tuesday comes on the 59th day of President Tinubu’s inauguration, which is a day short of the statutory deadline for the submission.

Under the Nigerian constitution, ministers are to be nominated from the 36 states of the federation, and an additional 6 ministers from the country’s geo-political zones could be added. But the nomination of 28 names has raised curiosity, particularly because the states of origin of the nominees were not included on the list as customary with previous presidents.

A 28-minister cabinet will be a sharp reduction from the previous 48 and would be unconstitutional. Some have suggested that the list is only the first batch of nominees.

Some had speculated that the Nigerian president may yield to the call for “minimum government” by some Nigerians amid the country’s struggling economy.

Meanwhile, it is not clear if the ministerial nominees will be screened before the National Assembly goes on its summer recess.

See the full list:

Abubakar Momoh
Ambassador Yusuf Maitama
Arch Ahmed Musa Dangiwa
Barr. Hannatu Musawa
Chief Uche Nnaji
Dr. Betta Edu
Dr. Doris Aniche Uzoka
David Umahi
Ezenwo Nyesom Wike
Mohammed Badaru Abubabakar
Nasir El Rufai
Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo
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 U.
Sen. Abubakar Kyari
Sen John Owan-Enoh
Sen. Sani Abubakar Danladi

Politics

Mali: 7 Russian mercenaries killed

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

An al Qaeda offshoot in North Africa has claimed responsibility for the attack in central Mali, killing at least seven mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner private military contractor company.

Wagner earlier lost a battle in July with mostly Tuareg rebels and Islamists close to Mali’s Algerian border, exposing the perils faced by mercenaries used by military juntas in the Sahel area of West Africa.

The separatists and strong branches of Al Qaeda and Islamic State, which have taken over large areas of the Sahel over the past 12 years, are difficult for Mali and its neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger to control.

The al Qaeda offshoot JNIM claimed responsibility for the Thursday attack, according to a statement from SITE Intelligence Group, which keeps an eye on extremist activity in the area. According to SITE, JNIM captured several weapons and killed seven Russian Wagner mercenaries.

Following an attack, the bodies of at least five white males wearing army fatigues were seen laying near a military truck in a video obtained by Reuters. The validity of the footage could not be confirmed by Reuters.

SITE Intelligence posted images allegedly from JNIM that showed many crates of weapons and ammo together with the dead and bloodied bodies of troops.

Although two local officials acknowledged the incident, a Malian army source claimed to have seen seven dead bodies, including Russian fighters. Five Wagner warriors were slain, according to one of them.

At least six Russians have been murdered in the attack, which was carried out by Katiba Macina, a division of JNIM, according to a consultant working on security in the area.

The expert referred to the Russians as Africa Corps warriors, a paramilitary group under Kremlin leadership that has taken Wagner’s position in Africa throughout the previous 12 months.

Mali has previously said that Russian servicemen trainers are assisting local troops with Russian-purchased weaponry rather than mercenaries.

Politics

Mauritius’ Prime Minister to double as Finance Minister

Published

3 days ago

November 23, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In an effort to maintain a tight eye on the economy, Mauritius’ Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, who took office this month following a resounding election victory, said on Friday that he would retain the position of finance minister for himself.

“We are doing an audit of the economy to see to what extent the outgoing government has destroyed it,” Ramgoolam told reporters in the capital Port Louis after he presided over the swearing-in of other ministers.

Ten years after he stepped down as prime minister, the seasoned politician returned to the position when his Alliance du Changement (ADC) alliance won 60 of the 62 seats in the national legislature.

The 77-year-old Ramgoolam said earlier this week that he would be auditing governmental finances. Before this, he was prime minister from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014.

Ramgoolam started a campaign in 2006 to streamline taxes and reduce bureaucracy to diversify the $10 billion economy beyond exports of sugar, textiles, and tourism.

Since then, the 1.3 million-person nation, which positions itself as a bridge between Africa and Asia, has developed into a major offshore financial hub and has been rated by the World Bank as the easiest location to do business in Africa regularly.