NEWS
Just In: Tinubu Unveils Ministerial Nominees
According to a reliable source, President Bola Tinubu has finalized his list of ministerial nominees and designations for key positions in the Nigerian government.
These appointments represent a strategic selection of individuals from diverse backgrounds and states, aiming to bring a wealth of expertise and experience to their respective roles.
These includes:
Attorney General of the Federation – Dr Hassan M Liman (SAN)
Solicitor General of the Federation – Babatunde Ogala
National Security Adviser – Nuhu Ribadu – Adamawa State
Minister of Petroluem Resource State – Augustine Avuru – Delta State
Minister of Finance – Aisha Ahmad – Niger State
Minister of Finance State – Mr Dapo Okubadejo – Ogun State
Minister of Work & Housing – Sen Adam Oshomole – Edo State
Minister of Work & Housing State – Bashir Machina – Yobe State
Minister of Power – Sanusi Garba – Katsina
Minister of Power State – Dr Isiaka Olayinka Kolawole – Oyo State
Minister of Education – Prof Peter OKebukola – Osun State
Minister of Education State – Sen Sani Bello – Niger State
Minister of Defence – Gen Abdulmalik Jubril (RTD)
Minister of Defence State – Prof Osareimen Osunbor – Edo State
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Fayemi Kayode – Ekiti State
Minister of Foreign Affairs State – Alhaji Lawan Ya’ u Roni- Jigawa State
Minister of Health – Dr Bankole A Johnson
Minister of Health State – Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu – Kebbi State
Minister of Agriculture & Rural Dev – Abdullahi Ganduje – Kano State
Minister of Agriculture State – Sen Ita Enang – Akwa Ibom
Minister of Transportation – Simon Lalong – Plateau State
Minister of Transportation State – D Kekemeke – Ondo State
Minister of Police Affair – Nyesome Wike – River State
Minister of Police Affair State – Kabiru Marafa – Zamfara State
Minister of Interior – Nasril El Rufai – Kaduna State
Minister of Interior State – Prince Alex Mbata – Imo State
Minister of Science & Technology – Sen Chimaroke Nnamani – Enugu State
Minister of Science & Technology State – Alhaji Modu Musa – Borno State
Minister of Labour & Productivity – Festus Keyamu – Delta State
Minister of Labour & Productivity State – Mohammed Hassan – Yobe State
Minister of Budget & National Planning – David Sabo Kente – Taraba State
Minister of Budget & National Planning State – Abike Dabiri – Lagos State
Minister of Special Duties – Andy Uba – Anambra State
Minister of Specail Duties State – Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo – Bauchi State
Minister of Trade & Investment – Gboyega Oyetola – Osun State
Minister of Trade & Investment State – Alhaji Haddy Ametuo – Kogi State
Minister of Commerce & Industry – Sen Martin Elechi – Ebonyi State
Minister of Commerce & Industry State – Steven Lawani – Benue State
Minister of Solid Minerial Dev – Sen Teslim Folarin – Oyo State
Minister of Solid Minerial Dev State – Jamil Isiyaku Gwamna – Gombe State
Minister of Environment – Ben Ayade Cross River
Minister of Environment State – Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba – Sokoto State
Minister of FCT – Tanko Al-malkura – Nasarawa State
Minister of FCT (State) – Hon Zaphania Jisalo – Abuja
Minister of Aviation – Dr Ibrahim Salau – Kogi State
Minister of Aviation State – Muntari Lawal – Katsina State
Minister of Water Resource – Sadique Abubakar – Bauchi State
Minister of Water Resource State – Sen Ifeanyi Ararume – Imo State
Minister of Niger Delta – David Lyon – Bayelsa State
Minister of Niger Delta State – Gbenga Edema – Ondo State
Minister of Women Affair – Aishatu Binani – Adamawa State
Minister of Women Affair State – Betta Edu – Cross River
Minister of Youth & Sport Dev – Barr Bello Mohammed Goronyo – Sokoto State
Minister of Youth & Sport Dev State – Jay Jay Okocha – Enugu State
Minister of Mine & Steel Dev – Bello Matawalle – Zamfara State
Minister of Mine & Steel Dev State – Magnus Abi – Rivers State
Minister of Information – Bayo Onanuga – Ogun State
Minister of Information State – Abdulmumin Jibrin – Kano State
Minister of Communication & Digital Technology – Ikechi Emenike – Abia State
Minister of Communication & Digital Technology State – Eng Ahmed Yusuf – Taraba State
Minister of Tourism , Culture & Art – Abubakar Badaru – Jigawa State
Minister of Tourism, Culture & Art State – Jide Kosoko – Lagos State
Ministry of Humanitarian Affair, Disaster management & Social Dev – Alhaji Adamu Dibal – Borno State
Ministry of Humanitarian Affair, Disaster management & Social Dev State – Sen M Okadigbo – Anambra
NEWS
Moghalu Prescribes Good Governance As Panacea To Ethnic Agitation
The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.
In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’
ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.
He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.
Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.
“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.
“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
READ ALSO: CSR: Dangote Cement Fuels Education With Support Projects At Lagos Schools
He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
READ MORE: Osun Govt Decries Attempted Murder Of Park Mgt Chairman By Police
The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.