Mr Olusegun Aganga, a managing director at Goldman Sachs in London leads the list of the first batch of Ministerial nominees that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan sent to the Nigerian senate today. The list includes names of 7 former ministers and 16 others.
Those that made the list includes; Sanusi Dagash, Akim Bello Musa, Akinlabi Olasukimi, Ndanusa Aloe, former Minister of State for Petroleum, Odein Ojumogobia, Murtalla Yar’adua and PDP women leader, Josephine Anenih.
Some of the former ministers whose names were included are Godswill Orubebe, Adetokunbo Kayode, O.Ajumogobia, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke, Fidelia Nzeze, Architect Nuhu Somo Way and others, some of the new names includes former student activist and deputy governor of Nassarawa State, Labaran Maku, Prof. M. K Abubakar (Kaduna) and others.
Elombah.com has confirmirmed that Murtala Yar’Adua is the scion of the Yar’Adua family. Murtala is the son of the late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and a nephew to President Yar’adua. A member of the board of Bank PHB, the president’s nephew has business interest in different sectors of the economy.
Other are Chukwuemeka Nwoju, Bala Mohammed, Uju Essien and Josephine Tapgun.
Mallam Murtala Yar’Adua is the eldest son of Shehu Yar’Adua. He attended Southeastern University, London, England from 1994-1997 and holds a B.Sc. Degree in Business Management and an MBA Degree in Financial Management.
Presently he serves as Director of Intel Services Ltd, Port Harcourt; Hamada Holdings Nigeria Ltd, Kaduna; Nation House Press, Kaduna. He also serves as a member of the Board Directors of Platinum Habib Nigeria Bank, Plc. Mallam Murtala was turbaned Tafidan Katsina in 2002, a traditional title he inherited from his late father.
Unconfirmed reports say former Information and Communication Minister Professor Dora Akunyili has been dropped following strong opposition from Yar ‘Adua’s cabal to her re-appointment to Jonathan’s emerging cabinet. (Update: Akunyili was added to the Ministerial nominee list this morning)
Jonathan sacked all government ministers last Wednesday in a bid to assert his authority a month after assuming executive powers, and the fast appointment of a new team could ease political uncertainty in Africa’s most populous nation.
The Senate president according to tradition is expected to announce the list in the next seating of the Senate, but head, Senate Media and publicity, Senator Ayogu Eze told newsmen that the list have now been submitted.
Segun Aganga an old student of Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti is Managing Director, Goldman Sachs and convener of the Aspen Nigeria Leadership seminar/Initiative. He is the Head of Hedge Fund Consulting at Goldman Sachs Prime Brokerage in London, with responsibility for Europe and Asia.
Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Segun was at Ernst & Young London for 13 years and before that was with Ernst & Young in Nigeria for six years.
Aganga is currently the chairman of both the Alternative Investment Management Association’s Hedge Fund Research Committee and London Investment Banking Association as Prime Brokerage Committee.
He trained and qualified as an accountant with Ernst &Young and is a graduate of Oxford University and the University of Ibadan.
Watch Segun Aganga here:
Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was busy all yesterday, putting finishing touches to his cabinet’s list.
Top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials and some governors came to see him over the reconstitution of the cabinet, which was dissolved last Wednesday.
“The nominees have sailed through security screening; so, the list will definitely go to the Senate by today or tomorrow,” a Presidency source said, asking not to be identified.
“The Senate has given assurances that they will expedite action on the confirmation of the nominees; so, we expect the confirmation to start this week,” the source said.
The Senate has hinted that the screening of former ministers who are reappointed would be tough. The nominees will be grilled on their performance in office in the disbanded cabinet.
Speaking to the press yesterday Information Committee chair, Senator Ayogu Eze, said such nominees must be prepared to answer questions on what they did while in office.
“The screening will be as vigorous as it has always been. Returnee-ministers will be taking more questions based on their performance during their stewardship. Everybody will answer questions on what he or she has done or failed to do.
“Those who will be coming back will have the additional responsibility of answering for their stewardship while in office. That, of course, will be taken on board.”
According to Eze, nobody will get the preferential “bow and go” treatment.
The Senate may, however, defer to former senators or members of the House of Representatives nominated as ministers.
As former legislators, such nominees are deemed to have met certain minimum criteria, which are considered to be part of their screening, Eze said.
But if senators feel strongly about the conduct of such persons, they will be made to answer the questions appropriately and the decision to confirm or reject them will be based on how such questions are answered, he said.
Eze said the screening would be aired live on television to enable Nigerians judge the performance of the nominees. The Senate, according to him, will make its decision known during its Easter break, which is expected to begin on Thursday.
The break may be shifted to accommodate the screening, apparently to enable Jonathan have a cabinet to work with in good time.
There was suspense yesterday over the new cabinet list following last-minute consultations between Jonathan and the National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd).
Besides, former ministers have been directed to declare their assets.
Gen. Gusau made many trips to the Acting President on the list.
It was gathered that some ex-ministers were yesterday given the Assets Declaration Form from the Code of Conduct of Bureau by security agencies.
It is part of the exit checks being conducted by security agencies, a source said.
“I think these agencies served the forms to confirm a few issues on some of the ex-Ministers, who are being recommended for re-nomination.
“Some people have written petitions to oppose the re-appointment of some Ministers based on allegations of corrupt practices,” the source added.
CABINET LIST
Seven members of the old cabinet, which was dissolved on March 17, this year, made the list of the first batch of nominees. There are eighteen new nominees.
Members of the dissolved cabinet who made the list are former Minister of Labour and Productivity and until the dissolution, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode; former Minister of State (Niger Delta), Elder Godsday Orubebe; and, former Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mrs. Dieziani Allison-Madueke.
Others are: Formere Minister of State (Agriculture), Mrs. Fidelia Njeze; former Minister of State (Power), Architect Somo Nuhu Wya; former Minister of Youths Development, Akinlabi Olasunkanmi and former Minister of State, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN).
The new nominees who made the list are former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Josephine Anenih (Anambra); former Executive Director NAPIMS, Engineer Chris Ogienwonyi (Edo); a member of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Chukwuemeka Worgu (Abia) and Vice Chancellor of Kebbi State University, Professor M.K. Abubakar.
Other are former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State, Navy Captain N. S. Olubolade (Ekiti); former Managing Director of New Nigeria Newspapers, Ndanusa Alao (Kogi); Alhaji Mutallab Yar’Adua (katsina), former South-South Caucus Leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Nduese Essien (Akwa Ibom); and Alhaji Umaru Aliyu (Taraba), Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq (Gombe).
They also include MD Goldman Sachs, Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga (Lagos); former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Labaran Maku (Nasarawa), wife of former Governor of Pleateau State, (Fidelis Tapgun), Mrs. Josephine Tapgun (Plateau); Bello Adoke, (SAN); Captain Earnest Odebola; Suleiman Bello; former Minister of National Planning, Senator Sanusi Daggash (Borno) and a member of the current Senate, representing Bauchi South on ANPP platform, Bala Mohammed. The list containing the second batch of nominees is expected to arrive in the Senate as soon as consultations and security screening are completed on it.
Meanwhile, Mark yesterday night held a meeting with the Acting President ahead of today’s formal announcement of the list of twenty five nominees on the floor of the Senate.
The List of Nominees
1. Engineer Chris Ogienwonyi (Edo)
2. Josephine Anenih (Anambra)
3. Adetokunbo Kayode (Ondo)
4. Godsday Orubebe (Delta)
5. Dieziani Allison-Madueke (Bayelsa)
6. Fidelia Njeze
7. Somo Nuhu Wya
8. Odein Ajumogobia
9. Akinlabi Olasunkanmi
10.Professor M.K. Abubakar (Vice Chancellor Kebbi State University
11.Navy Captain N. S. Olubolade
12.Ndanusa Alao (Kogi) former NNN MD
13.Alhaji Murtalla Yar’Adua (katsina)
14.Hon. Nduese Essien (Akwa Ibom)
15.Alhaji Umaru Aliyu (Taraba)
16.Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq (Gombe)
17. Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga (Lagos) MD Goldman Sachs
18. Labaran Maku (Nasarawa)
19.Mrs. Josephine Tapgun (Plateau)
20.Bello Adoke, SAN
21.Captain Earnest Odebola
22.Chukwuemeka Worgu
23.Suleiman Bello
24.Sanusi Daggash
25.Bala Mohammed