Meet Buhari’s 10 Newcomer Ministerial Nominees

Following the release of the ministerial list by President Muhammadu Buhari today, THE WHISTLER brings to you the profile of ten of the newcomers.

Sharon Ikeazor:

She isthe Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).

She currently serves as the vice president of Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) which she co-founded to build the capacity of female politicians across political lines, nation-wide.

Sharon was appointed as the executive secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) by President Muhammadu Buhari, on the September 26, 2016.

And in her first year in office, she made a lot of policies that brought positive changes to the PTAD.

According to reports, Ikeazor is a seasoned politician, philanthropist and an astute administrator as well as credited with sanitizing the administration of pension through the introduction of positive changes within her short tenure at PTAD.

Sharon started her primary school education at the St Mary’s Convent School Lagos and went to Queen of the Rosary College Onitsha for her secondary education and the Godolphin School Salisbury England for Higher Studies at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. She obtained her Bachelor of Law (LL. B Hons.) from the University of Benin and Certificate of Practice from the Nigerian Law School in 1985.

Isa Pantami:

Isa Ali Ibrahim “Sheikh Pantami” is the Director General and CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Nigeria.

Pantami lectured at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Information Technology before joining the Islamic University of Madinah as Head of Technical Writing in 2014.

In 2016, he was appointed as the Director General/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

His directive for NITDA upon employment was to develop the ICT infrastructure in the North East in the aftermath of the destruction caused by Boko Haram insurgency.

Shortly after the WannaCry ransomware attack, he organized the second annual conference on “Financial Fraud and Cyber Crime” in Abuja with the Federal Ministry of Justice and private sector partners.

He also initiated the Nigerian national public key infrastructure (PKI) programme, and went into a security partnership with ESET, an IT security company that offers anti-virus and firewall products.

Pantami is a fellow of both British Computer Society (FBCS) and Nigeria Computer Society (FNCS). He also has many fellowships to his credit.

Ramatu Tijani

Ramatu Tijjani who is an Ahmadu Bello University graduate of Urban and Regional Planning hails from Royal Family of late Alhaji Sidi Ali Mamman Bawa Allah of Lokoja in Kogi State.

Ramatu joined AZAH intermediaries Nigeria Limited, a civil engineering construction firm, as one of its Managing Directors after her service year.

She has a master’s degree in public administration from the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. She is currently acquiring a PhD in Security and Strategic Studies at the institute of governance and development Studies from same institution.

She was later conferred with a Doctor of Public Administration honorary degree by the Prestigious Commonwealth University, London, United Kingdom. Similarly, she earned another Certificate in Leadership Skills from the reputable Abbey College, London, also in the United Kingdom.

In 2004, she was appointed a Special Adviser on Women Affairs, Youth and Social Development to the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council.

In 2007 she ran for election to represent Kwali/Kuje/Abaji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives but failed

In 2008, she emerged the first female National Vice Chairman (North Central Zone) of the then leading opposition political party in the country, the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. In 2010, she emerged the National Woman Leader of the ANPP.

In June, 2014, the APC recognized her modest contributions and was elected National Women Leader.  She later emerged the Director of Women Mobilization of the APC President Campaign Council.

George Akume:

He is a prominent member of the All Progressive Congress, APC, and a two -term former Governor of Benue State from 1999 to 2007. He contested and won the Benue North West Senatorial Seat election for 2007, 2011 and 2015. He is a staunch member and supporter of the APC.

Rauf Aregbesola:

He is also a prominent stalwart of the APC and two-term governor of Osun State from 2010 to 2018. He was Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure when he ran for election in April 2007 on the Action Congress platform.

Although the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Olagunsoye Oyinlola was declared the winner, Aregbesola appealed the decision and on 26 November 2010 he was declared the winner by Justices of the Federal Appeal Court, Ibadan who ordered that he should be sworn into office by noon on 27 November, 2010.

Aregbesola was reelected in 2014 for a second term.

Pauline Kedem Tellen:

In 1999, she was appointed Minister of State for science and technology to the cabinet of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2007, she became the deputy governor of Plateau State and the first woman to be a deputy governor in northern Nigeria. She also contested to be governor of the state in 2011 but lost to Jonah Jang. She is presently a member, board of trustees of All Progressive Congress, and was honoured as Woman of the Year for her contribution to Nigeria at the 10th African Icon of Our Generation Award. She is a board member of National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA). She is married to John Tallen, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. They have five children.

Timipre Sylva:

He was the Governor of Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria between 2008 to 2012. He was a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the 1990s.

Adeleke Olurunnimbe Mamora:

He was elected Senator for the Lagos East constituency of Lagos State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

He was elected to the Lagos State House of Assembly in 1999 and was appointed Speaker. He was Chairman of the Conference of Speakers (2000 – 2001). Mamora was elected to the Senate in April 2003 and reelected in 2007. He was also a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament (2003 – 2006). In 2003 he was appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

He was a National Delegate for the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1990, and Secretary, Lagos East of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in 1998.

He obtained a B.Sc, Health Sciences, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) University of Ife, Ile-Ife and became a Health Practitioner. He was Medical Director of a Medical Centre (1987 – 1998), and a Company Medical Adviser (1988 – 1992).

Festus Keyamo:  

Lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN and social crusader, Festus Keyamo is also a critic, columnist and human rights activist. He was appointed as the Director of Strategic Communications of the 2019 re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki: 

Sister to former Governor and immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Gbemisola Saraki was elected into the House of Representatives in 1999 represnting Asa/Ilorin Federal Constituency of Kwara State.

She ran under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) for the senate in 2003 and won the seat, representing the Central Senatorial District of the State. She re-contested in 2007 and won again, serving as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for eight years, 2003-2011.

She defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 and in February 2016, she was appointed by President Muhammed Buhari as the Pro Chancellor and Chairperson of the Federal University Otuoke, Baylesa. On 13 February 2017, Saraki was also appointed as one of the 16-member committee to re-negotiate its 2009 agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Her father is the late Senator Olusola Saraki, a second republic senate leader.