Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday administered the oath of
office to Suleiman Hassan and Professor Stephen Ocheni, the two Ministers
who had long been cleared by the Senate.
The swearing-in ceremony ended the controversy on whether or not Acting
President Osinbajo has President Mohammadu Buhari’s approval to discharge
the duty of administering the oath of office to the Ministers.
Only yesterday, Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to President
Mohammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, dismissed a tweet by the spokesman
to the Acting President, Mr. Laolu Akande, announcing the swearing-in
ceremony of the two ministers today.
Akande had in his tweet said “AgP Osinbajo would be swearing in the two
new ministers already confirmed by the Senate tomorrow @the start of the
Federal Exco meeting.”
But Garba Shehu dismissed the tweet from Akande as “false” in a tweet in
response to a Premium Times Story reporting the swearing in ceremony.
However, after swearing in the two Ministers, Osinbajo charged them to be
committed to their new task of supporting the government in achieving it’s
set goals.
“I can only say going by your antecedence as contained in your resume read
out, it is evident that you are deserving of positions held in the Federal
Republic of Nigeria and that you are capable of rendering all the task
that will be given to you. The only reward is more hard work and I wish
you the best as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
The two new minister confirmed by the Senate in May in accordance with
section 14 sub-section 123 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, were sworn in shortly before the commencement of he Federal
Executive Council (FEC) meeting, on Wednesday, at the Council Chambers,
Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The two new ministers who hail from Kogi and Gombe States respectively
replaced the late James Ocholi who died in an auto accident in 2016 and
Amina Mohammed, who resigned to take up the position of Deputy Secretary
General of the United Nations (UN), in February, 2017.
However, shortly before the Federal Executive Council (FEC), at the
Preaidential Villa, Abuja, Osinbajo said the FEC is one that is committed
to the very far reaching and reform programme of the President Muhammadu
Buhari’s government.
According to Osinbajo “that reform programme is contained in our Economic
Recovery and Growth Plan. We have focus our attention on key areas of that
economic recovery plan and we believe these key areas are things that need
to be done to make a difference in the Nigerian economy and in the lives
of Nigerians”.
He listed the key areas of the Buhari government as security and the
anti-corruption fight“ stressing that the government “expect that members
of the Federal Executive Council will focus on these key areas as well. We
have of course made tremendous progress in security, we have issues and
challenges here and there, but they are, compared to where we are coming
from very minor indeed and we are tackling them on a day by day basis”.
On the anti-corruption fight, Osinbajo said “we are focused. We believe
that the primary thing is for those of us who have the privilege of
serving to ensure that by our own point and actions we support the anti
corruption fight and also that our conducts will be exemplary so that we
will show by practice not just by words that we are determined to ensure
that this country is run by a good government. And where there is honesty
and integrity service will be delivered,” Osinbajo emphasised.