Why Osinbajo Swore in Two New Ministers Without Portfolios
Why Osinbajo Swore in Two New Ministers Without Portfolios
• Buhari to reshuffle cabinet himself
More than three months after the Senate confirmed the nominations of Professor Stephen Ocheni (Kogi) and Suleiman Hassan (Gombe) as ministers-designate, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday swore them in at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chambers in the State House, Abuja, without assigning them portfolios.
After swearing-in the ministers, Osinbajo had announced that portfolios would be assigned to them “shortly.”
After the meeting, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, also echoed Osinbajo, stating that the new ministers would be assigned portfolios “shortly."
However, it was learnt late yesterday that Osinbajo’s decision not to assign the new ministers portfolios was deliberate, as the acting president was only acting on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari who was said to have instructed him to only swear them in without assigning them portfolios.
It was learnt from a senior presidency source that when Osinbajo visited the president early this month in London, where he is receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment, he had sought Buhari’s permission to swear-in the two ministers, assign them their portfolios and reshuffle the cabinet.
However, Buhari, the source said, asked Osinbajo to tarry a while, because he hoped to assign the two new ministers their portfolios and use the opportunity to reshuffle the cabinet upon his return.
Buhari was said to have informed his deputy that if he assigned the portfolios to the ministers and reshuffled the cabinet, it might be impossible to reshuffle it again, given that the administration was already mid-way into its tenure.
While Ocheni replaced the former Minister of State for Labour, Mr. James Ocholi who lost his life in a ghastly motor accident along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway on March 16, 2016, Hassan replaced Ms. Amina Mohammed who until her appointment as the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General, was the Minister of Environment.
After taking the oaths of office, Osinbajo who welcomed the two men to the federal cabinet said they were not only expected to join other ministers in the federal government’s efforts to improve the living standards of Nigerians but also to live exemplary lives that befit their status as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to Osinbajo, FEC is a place where far-reaching economic decisions are taken, with a focus on key areas that will affect both the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
The acting president said in accordance with the vision of the president, Ocheni and Hassan would join other ministers in FEC’s efforts to turn the economy around and make lives meaningful for Nigerians.
He also enlightened the new ministers on the two primary campaign thrusts of Buhari during the electioneering.
He listed the two areas as security and the anti-corruption fight, noting that as FEC members, they were duty bound to support the fight against corruption in practice.
Submitting that the cabinet was founded on good governance, he said hard work was a requirement for effective membership of FEC.
• Buhari to reshuffle cabinet himself
More than three months after the Senate confirmed the nominations of Professor Stephen Ocheni (Kogi) and Suleiman Hassan (Gombe) as ministers-designate, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday swore them in at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chambers in the State House, Abuja, without assigning them portfolios.
After swearing-in the ministers, Osinbajo had announced that portfolios would be assigned to them “shortly.”
After the meeting, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, also echoed Osinbajo, stating that the new ministers would be assigned portfolios “shortly."
However, it was learnt late yesterday that Osinbajo’s decision not to assign the new ministers portfolios was deliberate, as the acting president was only acting on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari who was said to have instructed him to only swear them in without assigning them portfolios.
It was learnt from a senior presidency source that when Osinbajo visited the president early this month in London, where he is receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment, he had sought Buhari’s permission to swear-in the two ministers, assign them their portfolios and reshuffle the cabinet.
However, Buhari, the source said, asked Osinbajo to tarry a while, because he hoped to assign the two new ministers their portfolios and use the opportunity to reshuffle the cabinet upon his return.
Buhari was said to have informed his deputy that if he assigned the portfolios to the ministers and reshuffled the cabinet, it might be impossible to reshuffle it again, given that the administration was already mid-way into its tenure.
While Ocheni replaced the former Minister of State for Labour, Mr. James Ocholi who lost his life in a ghastly motor accident along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway on March 16, 2016, Hassan replaced Ms. Amina Mohammed who until her appointment as the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General, was the Minister of Environment.
After taking the oaths of office, Osinbajo who welcomed the two men to the federal cabinet said they were not only expected to join other ministers in the federal government’s efforts to improve the living standards of Nigerians but also to live exemplary lives that befit their status as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to Osinbajo, FEC is a place where far-reaching economic decisions are taken, with a focus on key areas that will affect both the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
The acting president said in accordance with the vision of the president, Ocheni and Hassan would join other ministers in FEC’s efforts to turn the economy around and make lives meaningful for Nigerians.
He also enlightened the new ministers on the two primary campaign thrusts of Buhari during the electioneering.
He listed the two areas as security and the anti-corruption fight, noting that as FEC members, they were duty bound to support the fight against corruption in practice.
Submitting that the cabinet was founded on good governance, he said hard work was a requirement for effective membership of FEC.
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