President Muhammadu Buhari has withdrawn the name of immediate past Deputy
Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Musa Ibeto from the Ministerial List sent
to the Senate, Pointblanknews.com has been informed.
The withdrawal, according Presidential sources is sequel to discovery that
both Ibeto and Abubakar Bawa Bwari are from Niger State.
The constitution provides for 36 Ministers, representing each state of the
Federation and Abuja.
Ibeto and Bwari’s nomination would be violating the provision of the
constitution as both are from the same state if one is not withdrawn.
The Presidency sources argued that Bwari is considered a more qualified
and more experienced politician than Ibeto.
Bwari, popularly called ABB by his admirers was born on 4th
November 1963 in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State. He had his
primary education in Sokoto and Minna before proceeding to Government
Secondary School, Suleja where he obtained his GCE “O” levels in 1982.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography (1986) and a Master’s in Urban
and Regional Planning (1990) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and
is a registered member of both the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners and
Town
Planning Registration Council.
He was elected as a member of the Federal House of Representatives
representing Suleja/Gurara/Tafa Federal Constituency in 1998 and
subsequently became Chief Whip of the House, a position where he served
meritoriously over a period spanning 1999-2007.
During his eventful period of service in the House, he was also elected as
Vice President African, Caribbean, Pacific and European Union (ACP-EU)
Joint Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the planning committee ACP-EU
Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2000. He was awarded Officer in the Order
of Leopold (the highest honour bestowed on a foreigner) by His Majesty
King Albert II of Belgium in 2004 and Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree by the
City University of Los Angeles in 2004.
Ibeto (Santurakin Kontagora) was born on January 15, 1959 at Ibeto
headquarters of Ibelu District of Kontagora Emirate in Niger State.
His educational career started when he enrolled at LEA Primary School,
Ibeto, in 1966. From 1973 to 1977, the academically ambitious Ahmed was at
the government Secondary School, Rijau. Hon. Ahmed’s desire and
determination for qualitative education took him to Zungeru College of
Advance Studies (ZUCAS), Bida from 1979 to 1980.
From 1980 to 1985, he was at the famous Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto
where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. He started
his working career from 1977 to 1978 as a classroom teacher, immediately
after leaving secondary school.
He had a stint as a Clerical Officer with the Federal College of Education
(FCE), Kontagora, from 1978 to 1979. He served as the NYSC Liaison
Officer, Yagba, FCT Abuja, from 1985 to 1986, during his National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
Ibeto was from 1999 to 2003 appointed Senior Special Assistant on Protocol
Matters to the immediate past Governor. He contested and won election into
the Federal House of Representatives in 2003 under the platform of Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and served as the Deputy Chairman, House Committee
on Power and later Chairman, House Committee on States and Local
Governments.