Ministers Take Oath Of Office

The long wait has finally come to an end as Nigeria’s ministers-designate take oath of office at the Presidential Villa.

Based on the plans of the Presidency, the ceremony has not been an elaborate one, as each minister-designate is allowed two guests.

The ministers took turns in groups of four to take their oath of office with Okechukwu Enelama, Mohammed Bello, Senator Udo Udoma and Senator Chris Ngige making up the first set, while Heineken Lokpobiri, Adamu Adamu, Audu Ogbeh, Mustapha Baba Shehuri made the second set.

Usani Uguru, Ibe Kachikwu, Ogbonaya Onu and Osagie Ehanire as well as Kayode Fayemi, Geoffrey Onyeama, Amina Muhammed and Anthony Onwuka made the third and fourth sets of ministers inaugurated.

Other ministers currently sworn in are Suleman Adamu, Zainab Ahmed, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Hadi Sirika, Abubakar Malami, James Ocholi, Lai Mohammed, Babatunde Fashola, Ibrahim Jibril, Abubakar Bwari, Kemi Adeosun, Claudius Daramola, Isaac Adewole, Adebayo Shittu, Solomon Dalong, Rotimi Amaechi, Aisha Abubakar, Aisha Al-Hassan, Khadija Ibrahim and Muhammad Dan Ali.

Some of the ministers will not have portfolios, considering the merger of some ministries by the President.

In all, 36 ministers-designate have been confirmed by the Senate, but indications from the Presidency showed the ministries have been slashed to 25.

The President during the ministerial retreat told the ministers-designate to be change agents, emphasising the commitment of his administration to bringing the change promised during campaign to Nigerians.

He said the time had come for the All Progressive Congress led government to demonstrate its commitment to Nigerians by leading by example.

President Muhammadu Buhari also urged the ministers-designate to adhere to the rule of law.