By Tony Okafor, Awka
A list of the ministerial nominees forwarded to National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approval sighted by our correspondent on the social media shows that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2021 elections in Anambra State, Senator Andy Uba made the list.
An experienced politician, Ubah had served as presidential aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District as well as governor of Anambra State ( for 17 days).
As a master strategist, it is expected that Uba, when confirmed, will man the ministry of special duties.
However, a media aide to the Senate President, Jackson Akpabio, has stated that the authentic ministerial list of President Bola Tinubu will be unveiled today.
He urged Nigerians to stop speculating and wait for the unveiling of the nominees.
Commenting on the list in issue Jackson said, “I saw the list too just like every other person did, let’s wait till tomorrow (today). Don’t speculate, tomorrow (today), you’ll see the list.”
The long wait for the ministerial nominees will end today as the Senate is expected to unveil the list of ministers during today’s plenary which is the constitutional deadline for the nomination.
This is as a viral list of ministers which surfaced on social media on Wednesday generated confusion across the country.
There has been anxiety over the delay in the release of the ministerial list by President Bola Tinubu.
The viral list which circulated on Wednesday included the names of popular politicians, including former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Sen. Aishatu Dahiru popularly known as Binani (Adamawa State); Sen. Andy Uba (Anambra); Alhaji Isa Yuguda (Bauchi State); Sen. Abubakar Kyari ( Borno State) and former Cross River governor Sen. Ben Ayade.
Other names on the controversial list are Peter Godsday Orubebe (Delta State); Dayo Adeyeye (Ekiti State); Ifeanyi Ugwanyi ( Enugu State) Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso( Kano State); Atiku Bagudu ( Kebbi State); James Faleke (Kogi State); Gbemisola Saraki ( Kwara State); Sen. Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa State).
Also on the list are former Speaker, of the House of Representatives, Oladimeji Bankole (Ogun State); ex-Osun Governor Gboyega Oyetola and former Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong.
Many Nigerians have expressed concerns over the delayed formation of the president’s cabinet, particularly given Tinubu’s promise that he would hit the ground running.
In a statement on March 16, Tinubu pledged to set up a “government of national competence.’’
The Fifth Amendment to the 1999 Constitution mandates the president and governors to submit the names of their ministerial and commissioner-nominees within 60 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or state House of Assembly.
Tinubu, who was sworn in as president on May 29, has to submit his ministerial list to the Senate on July 28 (today) as stipulated by law.
Section 42 of the constitution states that “(a) the nomination of any person to the office of a minister for confirmation by the Senate shall be done within 60 days after the date the President has taken the oath of office; (b) not less than 10 per cent of persons appointed as Ministers shall be women:
“Provided that the President may appoint a minister at any other time during his tenure and such appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.”
The constitution further said that the president shall appoint at least a minister from each of the 36 states of the federation.
In the past weeks, there had been speculations about those who would make the ministerial list with several names popping up on social media.
Additional reports from PUNCH
