President Bola Tinubu submitted the names of seven new ministerial nominees to the National Assembly on Wednesday, following the dismissal of six ministers from his cabinet. These nominees are expected to fill the vacant positions, while the President also reassigned 10 ministers to new portfolios as part of a broader restructuring of his administration.
Among the nominees, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has been selected for the position of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Additionally, Nentawe Yilwatda is slated to become the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, marking the official end of Betta Edu’s suspended tenure.
Other nominees include Maigari Dingyadi, who has been nominated for the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Jumoke Oduwole, who is set to take over the Ministry of Industry. Idi Maiha has been appointed to lead the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development, while Yusuf Ata will serve as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development. Lastly, Suwaiba Ahmad has been named Minister of State for Education.
PROFILE OF NOMINEES:
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu
A distinguished diplomat, lawyer, businesswoman, and former beauty queen, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was appointed as Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. She later served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ghana and Spain, and she currently represents Nigeria at the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Bianca is also the widow of Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and has earned several international pageant titles.
Maigari Dingyadi
Hailing from Sokoto, Maigari Dingyadi served as Nigeria’s Minister of Police Affairs from August 2019 to May 2023. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Dingyadi has a strong political background and previously represented Bodinga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He has also served as Secretary to the Sokoto State Government and chaired the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) in Abuja.
Jumoke Oduwole
An academic, advisor, and public speaker, Jumoke Oduwole held the position of Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business from August 2019 to May 2023. She was also the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade & Investment. Currently on leave from her position as a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, she specializes in Jurisprudence and International Law.
Nentawe Yilwatda
An engineer and community developer from Plateau State, Nentawe Yilwatda is a registered professional with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). He has lectured at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and served as a Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), where he was the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State.
Idi Maiha
The Chairman and CEO of Zaidi Farms Limited, Idi Maiha has a notable background in Nigeria’s energy sector, having previously served as the Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.
Yusuf Ata
A seasoned educator and former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Yusuf Ata served as Special Adviser on Assembly Matters and Inter-Governmental Affairs for the Kano State Government from 2003 to 2007.
Suwaiba Ahmad
An educationist and gender advocate, Suwaiba Ahmad is a lecturer at Bayero University, Kano, and serves as the director of the Centre for Gender Studies. She has held various academic positions, including Sub Dean Academics, Head of the Department of Science Education, and Postgraduate Coordinator.