Politics
New Ministers, Expectations And The Nation
The Acting, president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Tuesday April 6 inaugurated the newly reconstituted Federal Executive Council after the confirmation of the ministerial nominees by the Senate.
The new ministers took charge at a period Nigerians considered as very critical to the progress, advancement and socio political transformation of the country.
The ministers include Shekh Ahmed Abdullah – Agriculture, Awodele Najeem Adewale – (state) Agriculture, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze – Aviation, Jibril Martins Kuye – Commerce & Industry, Josephine Tapgun – state Commerce & Industry, Prof. Rugayatu Rufai – Education, Abubakar Mohammed Culture & Tourism, Bala Mohammed – FCT, Olusegun Aganga – Finance, Odein Ajumogobia SAN – Foreign Affairs, Suleiman Bello – state Health, Prof. Dora Akunyili – Information & Communications, Labaran Maku – (state) Information & Communications.
Others are Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) – Justice, Emmanuel Iheanacho – Interior, Humphrey Abah (state) Interior, Chukwuemeka Wogu – Labour & Productivity, Musa Mohammed Sada – Mines & Steel Dev; Elder Peter Orubebe – Niger Delta Affairs, Mrs. Deziani Allison – Madueke – Petroleum Resources, Adetokunbo Kayode – Defence, Murtala Shehu Yar’Adua – (state) Defence, Nuhu Somo Wya – state Power, Adamu Waziri – Police Affairs, Muhammed Abubakar – Science & Tech, Ernest Olulabode – Special Duties, Yusuf Sulaiman – Transport, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi – Youth Dev. Josephine Anenih – Women Affairs, Shamsudeen Usman – National Planning Ibrahim Isa Bio – Nat. Sports Comm. Sanusi M. Dagash – Works, Chris Ogiemwinyi – (state) Works, Nduese Essien – Lands, Housing & Urban Dev., John Odey – Environment, while the Acting President heads the Power ministry considered very critical towards achieving the administration’s goal of increase power supply generation in the country. For Nigerians, the new ministers have a lot of challenges to tackle before the 2011 general election.
However, the challenges before the Acting President and the Federal Executive Council are quite daunting and require patriotism, commitment, transparency and courage to deliver the much-needed goals of the administration within the short period left for this administration.
Perhaps the Acting President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan captured the concern of Nigerians when he told the new ministers to see their assignment as a sacred commitment to serve the nation without fear or favour.
He further charged the ministers to be transparent, accountable and act at all times with good faith in the interest of the nation and Nigerians.
But the Rivers State Chairman, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), N.N. Naazigha-Lue has spoken of the need for the Acting President and members of the Federal Executive Council to courageously face the monumental problems facing Nigeria and proffer solutions to them.
Such challenges as the Niger Delta problem, power generation, rising crime rate, unemployment, religious crisis, electoral reforms including the war against corruption are considered crucial issues to be addressed.
Comrade Naazigha said that “if the Acting President and the Federal Executive Council can sincerely address these myriad challenges, then Nigerians can be better off in terms of better standard of living.”
Already, Jonathan has designed a performance benchmark agreement for the ministers to evaluate their performance and goals delivering in accordance with the policy thrust of his administration.
Barrister Cornelius Dibia says the respect for the rule of law is being abused by the federal government.
According to him, agencies of government like the EFCC should be given the necessary support to intensify the war against corruption and prosecute cases pending in court with all seriousness by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
Meanwhile, Dickson Effiong of the University of Port Harcourt, tasks the new foreign minister, Odein Ajumogobia to positively project the image of the country within the comity of nations.
Dickson also reflected on the recent comment by the Libyan’s leader, Muhammed Gaddafi that Nigeria should be split along religious lines, saying it is a direct interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation and therefore violates the necessary African Union charter protocol. Going by the seriousness of Gaddafi’s comment, Dickson said the federal government should intensify efforts at ensuring the political stability of the nation even as it works towards restoring confidence of Nigerians in the administration and the Nigeria project.
Nigerians are also expecting the ministers of Petroleum Resources, Police Affairs, Works, and Information and Communications to play critical role in the development of the nation. According to Ben Nwakama Osa, senior lecturer at the Abia State University (Port Harcourt Study Centre), the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke should rise to the challenge of making petroleum products available through the collaborative efforts of the independent marketers.
The university don said that the incessant petroleum scarcity leading to long quenes at the various filling stations should not be the order of the day in Jonathan administration.
Osa stated that the nation’s refineries must be resuscitated to a functional capacity by the minister.
Also speaking, Dr. Suany Obilor of the Mercy’s Clinic, Port Harcourt advised the Minister of Police Affairs to immediately address the deteriorating security situation in the country, adding that “a situation where armed men and kidnappers have taken over does not augur well for the security of Nigerians”.
The medical practitioner told the minister to face the challenge of his new assignment with determination to stem the tide of insecurity prevailing in the nation.
Nigeria’s deplorable road conditions across the nation need to be fixed. According to Engr Saka Tetenwu, the roads are now death traps to travellers, and Nigeria can not afford to waste her citizens.
The Minister of information and communication has the onerous tasks of adequately publicising and informing Nigerians on government programme and polices.
Certainly, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Time is not on the ministers’ side. They have the onerous task of making the remaining part of this administration a transformatory period. They must fulfil the social and moral contract with the people.
Tough national assignment, no doubt! All the ministers must stand on the side of history to give a new meaning to good governance. Nigerians do not expect anything less than a functional road network, improved agricultural production, addressing some of the major challenges in the oil and gas industry to boost national economy and fast-tracking rural development.
By and large, the size of the portfolio is not important to deliver quality services. What matters most is the contribution of each of the ministers in moving the nation forward. The ministers have the opportunity within the little period left to see what positive impact they can bring into the system or be messed up at the end of the day.
Philip-Wuwu Okparaji
Rt Hon. Abbas secured the party’s ticket through an affirmation exercise conducted across the 13 electoral wards in the constituency.
The wards involved include Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Limancin-Kona, Unguwar Fatika, Unguwar Juma, Dutsen Abba, Gyallesu, Kufena, Dambo, Wuchichiri, Tudun Wada, Tukur-Tukur, and Kaura.
The exercise, which began simultaneously in all wards at about 10 a.m., recorded large turnout of APC members who gathered at various party offices across the constituency.
At Kwarbai B Ward, the Speaker’s ward, the process was conducted peacefully under the supervision of the ward APC Returning Officer, Malam Iliyasu Muhammad Balarabe, in the presence of Rt Hon. Abbas.
According to the ward APC secretary, Nafiu Sabo, the ward has over 10,000 registered members, but 220 members were accredited for the exercise.
Before the affirmation, Mallam Balarabe informed members that Rt Hon Abbas was the only aspirant who purchased nomination forms, underwent screening, and was cleared by the APC national leadership to contest the Zaria Federal Constituency seat.
Following a voice vote by accredited members, the Speaker was affirmed as the party’s candidate in the ward, a process replicated across the remaining 12 wards.
At the constituency collation centre, the APC Returning Officer for the House of Representatives primary in Zaria Federal Constituency, Dr. Hamisu Ibrahim Kubau, announced that 1,376 APC members across the 13 wards endorsed Rt Hon. Abbas as the party’s flag bearer.
He explained that although thousands of party members participated in the exercise, only accredited delegates were allowed to vote.
Dr. Kubau declared: “There are 13 wards in Zaria Federal Constituency, and only one aspirant purchased a form, was screened, and cleared. He is Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen. After due process, we conducted affirmations across all wards.”
He added that the process was peaceful and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party representatives.
Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Elections in Kaduna State, Senator Yakubu Oseni, described the outcome as a reflection of the Speaker’s popularity and acceptance among constituents.
He expressed confidence that Rt Hon Abbas would secure victory in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking after his declaration, Rt Hon. Abbas expressed appreciation to APC members for reaffirming their confidence in him.
The incumbent Reps including Emily Inyang and Godwin Offionio, in separate interviews
protested the handling of the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state, saying it was skewed against them.
The aspirants further described the primaries as a charade and an embarrassment to the state.
According to them, the House of Representatives primaries fell short of the provisions of both the Electoral Act as amended in 2026 and the party’s constitution.
They accused the leadership of the party in the state, backed by Governor Bassey Otu, of violating the party’s constitution in the conduct of the House of Representatives primaries across the state on Saturday.
Hon. Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, particularly expressed disappointment with the primary that allegedly disenfranchised registered members of the party in his constituency.
Hon. Offiono asserted that having failed to arrive at a consensus, the party leadership opted for a direct primary to decide the candidate for the 2027 election.
“But what I witnessed today was not only alarming, but quite disheartening that our electoral system have not shown any improvement, especially now that we have a man of God in the person of the governor as the leader of the party.
“How do you declare a result by 9:00am even when the electoral materials were yet to arrive at Yala.
“As an aspirant, I couldn’t even vote or see the materials for my own primary at my Okuku ward in Yala Local Government Area, where I come from. But no matter what happens I am still in the race and have not stepped down for anybody.
“The governor had all the time in the world to drive the process of consensus but he never did. As a representative, I cannot even see my governor. I called, no response. I sent text no reply. I am treated as an out cast,” he lamented.
In an emotion laden tone during a telephone interview, Hon. Offiono further said: “I could not believe that first term NASS members like me can be treated in this shoddy manner even when I don’t know my offence.
“I have been a loyal party man. I appeal to the governor to do the right thing, follow the Electoral Act and party constitution in electing representatives.”
Similarly, Hon. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency said he still remained in the race and had not stepped down for anybody.
According to him, “If this shenanigan called primary is allowed to stand, it would affect the party’s fortune in the general elections.
“My appeal to the governor is to allow the people to decide. And if they so voted against me, I will rest and not fight over anything.
“There was no stakeholders meeting held to decide on anything before now, and someone can not be unilaterally imposed on us all in the name of compromised primary,” he stated.
A coalition of support groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has protested the disqualification of former presidential aspirant, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, from the Rivers West Senatorial race ahead of the party’s primaries for the 2027 general elections.
The groups, in a statement issued on Saturday morning in Abuja, described the action of the party’s screening committee as unjust and capable of worsening internal divisions within the APC in Rivers State.
The statement, signed by the coalition’s National Coordinator, Dr. Bilal Galadima, and General Secretary, Hon. James Ogenyi, accused the party leadership in Rivers State of favouring politicians loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, while sidelining long-standing members of the APC.
The coalition alleged that only aspirants aligned with Chief Wike were cleared to contest for elective positions in the state.
“How can our party allow only one man who is not a member of our party to make decisions or dictate the direction of our party?”, the group queried.
The coalition specifically faulted the exclusion of Mr Jack-Rich, describing him as a loyal party member who had supported the APC for more than 13 years and previously contested the party’s presidential ticket.
It also questioned the alleged clearance of Chief Felix Obua, whom it described as a recent entrant into the party and an ally of Chief Wike.
“How can our party disqualify Jack-Rich, a former presidential aspirant who has been loyal and supported our party for the last 13 years, only for our party to choose Felix Obua, a Wike loyalist who only joined the party three months ago?”, the statement read.
The group warned that failure by the APC leadership and National Working Committee (NWC) to address the matter as it could weaken the party’s structure in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.
It called on party leaders to uphold internal democracy, reward loyalty and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
INEC TO BEGIN MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION AS POLITICAL PARTIES SUBMIT REGISTER
All 22 registered political parties have successfully submitted their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the Commission has said.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Mohammed Haruna, said the submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general elections.
He said, “The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.”
He recalled that following a meeting with political parties, the Commission, in a statement issued on the 27th of March, 2026, adjusted the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026 to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.
Mr Haruna noted that political parties were accordingly allowed to conduct their primaries within the approved period from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.
He added, “INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law.”
The Commission restated its commitment to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.
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