By Ikenna Okafor
The much-awaited list of 28 ministerial nominees has finally been released and announced on the Senate floor yesterday. The President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabimila, delivered the highly anticipated list to the Senate, and it was read out by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The release of the list yesterday afternoon has sparked mixed reactions among the public, with some expressing happiness while others criticize the delay and the names on the list.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) views the compilation as a reflection of the President’s commitment to having competent individuals in his cabinet who can help deliver on his mandate.
Felix Morka, the Party’s Publicity Secretary, expressed this sentiment on Channels Television, stating, “The President is determined to lead well and succeed as the leader of this country. He took his time because he wants to assemble a team that can assist him in achieving his goals as President.”
In another perspective, a faction of Ohaneze Ndigbo praised the inclusion of Senator David Umahi in President Tinubu’s cabinet, considering it a positive addition. Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary General of the body, believes that Umahi’s presence will inject Igbo ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit into the “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He said, “We see it as evidence that President Tinubu values obedience, loyalty, hard work, and dedication. There is hope that if given the Ministry of Works, Umahi will bring transformative changes to Nigeria, similar to what he achieved during his tenure as the Governor of Ebonyi State.”
However, popular Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo used his Twitter handle to condemn the list, questioning the delay in its release and expressing concerns about the calibre of the nominated individuals.
He tweeted, “Now that the ministerial list is out, you can judge for yourself whether we were right. My surprise is, why wait for two months to bring out this list? What is in this list to think about for more than 24 hrs? This anti-people APC is possessed and needs to be exorcised from Nigeria.”
In the midst of these reactions, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, hinted at the possibility of President Bola Tinubu creating new ministries from the existing ones. Gbajabiamila said, “Mr President intends to separate portfolios or restructure the ministries in such a way that you might be hearing of new ministries that were not standalone ministries before. So the process continues.”
