Connect with us

News

Senate Confirms Enikanolaiye, Tegbe as Ministers 

Published

on

 

 

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

 

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointments of Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, giving legislative backing to President Bola Tinubu’s latest cabinet reshuffle aimed at strengthening diplomacy and stabilising the country’s troubled electricity sector.

 

The confirmations followed the nominees’ screening at plenary, where they were subjected to scrutiny and responded to questions from lawmakers before being cleared by the Committee of the Whole.

 

President Tinubu, in separate letters transmitted on Tuesday, sought the Senate’s approval for the appointments in line with constitutional provision.

 

The requests were read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

 

The letter partly read, “In compliance with the provisions of Section 147(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate the nomination of Ambassador Shola Enikolaye as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

“Please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest regards,” he added.

 

The nomination was subsequently referred to the Committee of the Whole for urgent consideration, in line with Senate procedure for cabinet nominees.

 

In a separate correspondence, Tinubu also sought legislative approval for Tegbe.

Advert

 

The letter partly read, “In compliance with the provisions of Section 147(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate the nomination of Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

“While I hope this request will receive the expeditious consideration of the Senate, please accept the assurances of my highest regards.”

 

Akpabio, after reading the letter, referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration.

 

“This correspondence is referred to the Committee of the Whole for immediate action,” he said.

 

He also assured that the upper chamber would prioritise the requests, fast-tracking the screening and confirmation process.

 

Enikanolaiye’s confirmation formalises his return to the forefront of Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture. A career diplomat with over three decades of service, he was nominated in April as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

 

The Kogi State-born envoy, who hails from Igbagun in Yagba East Local Government Area, previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations and rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

His diplomatic career spans key postings in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London and New Delhi, positioning him as a seasoned hand expected to support Nigeria’s international engagements at a time of shifting global alliances.

 

Tegbe’s appointment, on the other hand, comes at a critical juncture for Nigeria’s power sector, which continues to grapple with grid instability, liquidity shortfalls and infrastructure deficits despite ongoing reforms under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

 

His nomination follows the exit of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who resigned in March 2026 to pursue the Oyo State governorship race ahead of the 2027 elections, in compliance with a directive mandating political appointees seeking elective office to step down.

 

In an earlier statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the nomination was intended to reinforce reforms, improve grid reliability and unlock investment into the sector.

 

Tegbe, an indigene of Oyo State, brings over three decades of experience in fiscal policy and economic reform across both public and private sectors. He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa and currently serves as Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership.

 

He also chaired the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee inaugurated in 2025 and has been actively involved in regulatory and institutional reforms within the electricity sector.

News

2027: I Will continue distributing job offers as i did in the past – Goro

Published

on

 

 

Former member, representing Fagge federal constituency at the House of Representatives, Aminu Suleiman Goro has pledged to continue distributing job offers the way he did during his past times as lawmaker.

Goro, the candidate of National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Fagge federal constituency in the 2027 elections, made the pledge in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Wednesday.

According to Goro, who was the Chairman, House Committee on Tertiary Institutions during his time at the green chamber, he had distributed a lot of job offers to the youths in his constituency as part of his drive to human development.

Fondly called “Mai Gonar Offer”, literally means the owner of farm that produces job offers, added that that he would continue provide a lot of job opportunities toll youths at his constituency, as he had already begun exploring ways in that regard.

“As called ” Mai Gonar Offer”, i have already begun exploring hectares of land to cultivate job offers. This is something i am known for.

” I will continue from where i stopped many of those that secured federal jobs through me have attained the level of Director as their respective places of work. We will continue to build more people because that is the ideology of Kwankwasiyya,” Goro stated.

Advert

He expressed gratitude to the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, reaffirming his loyalty to the former governor of Kano state.

I thank Almighty Allah for giving me another opportunity under the leadership of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. I also appreciate all his associates and supporters for their confidence in me,” he said.

Reacting to rumours that he could betray Kwankwaso if elected into office, the former lawmaker dismissed the claims as baseless, saying he decided to join Kwankwasiyya when its leader lost a government from the defection of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

“That is not true. We supported Kwankwaso even when he was not in government. Our loyalty is not because of political office or power. We joined him because we believe in his leadership and ideology. If it is for political interest, i would have rejoined with Kwankwaso at the inception of administration of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf,” he said.

Goro assured the constituents of Fagge that his political camp would not only revive its past achievements but would also improve on them while defending the interests of the local government, Kano State, and the Kwankwasiyya ideology.

“By the grace of Allah, we will not only restore what we were known for, but we will also improve on it. We will continue to protect the interests of our people and the Kwankwasiyya movement, which is a movement for the common man,” he stated.

According to him, the Kwankwasiyya movement is rooted in Kano’s political history and inspired by the late Aminu Kano, whom he described as the ideological foundation of the movement.

“This ideology was inherited from Kano State. From Kano came leaders like Malam Aminu Kano, and in this generation, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso represents that same political philosophy,” Goro added.

Goro also expressed optimism that the NDC would win elections at all levels in 2027, attributing the success to the party’s ideology and manifesto.

“We are united in Kano and fully committed to supporting Kwankwaso politically. By Allah’s grace, the NDC will form government from top to bottom,” he said.

Continue Reading

News

Eid Al-Adha Felicitations-Prof Muhammad Abbas

Published

on

 

From Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas
Director General, Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC)

To:
His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf
Executive Governor of Kano State and the Good People of Kano State

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

On this blessed occasion of Eid Al-Adha, I extend my warmest felicitations to Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, and to the entire people of Kano State.

Eid Al-Adha reminds us of sacrifice, obedience, and compassion for humanity. As we celebrate, I pray that Allah (SWT) accepts our sacrifices, grants us peace, good health, and strengthens the bonds of unity across Kano State.

Advert

Your Excellency, I commend your unwavering commitment and readiness to support disease prevention, early detection, and rapid response in Kano State. Your leadership has created the enabling environment for public health institutions to thrive and serve the people effectively. The people of Kano are fortunate to have a Governor who places health security and the wellbeing of citizens at the heart of governance.

Under the guidance of the Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC, remains fully committed to its mandate. I assure Your Excellency and the good people of Kano State that KNCDC stands ready, with the continued support of Your Excellency and the strategic direction of the Honorable Commissioner, to prevent, detect, and respond promptly to all epidemic-prone diseases in the state.

May this Eid bring joy to every home, healing to the sick, and renewed strength to our collective efforts in building a healthier and safer Kano.

Eid Mubarak!
May Allah bless Kano State and Nigeria with peace, prosperity, and good health.

Signed,
Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas
Director General
Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC

Continue Reading

News

Atiku Wins ADC Presidential Primaries in Kano

Published

on

 

By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged victorious in the presidential primaries of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) held in Kano State, securing an overwhelming majority of votes cast across the state’s 484 wards.

Announcing the results in Kano on Tuesday, Dr. John Ayuba, a representative of the ADC national headquarters, declared that Atiku polled 155,995 votes to defeat his closest rivals in the keenly contested exercise.

According to the official figures released at the end of the collation process:

Atiku Abubakar — 155,995 votes

Advert

Rotimi Amaechi — 15,914 votes

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen — 9,994 votes

Dr. Ayuba stated that the primary election was conducted peacefully across all the 484 wards in Kano State, with party officials and delegates participating in the democratic process.

Speaking shortly after the announcement, he said the outcome of the Kano exercise would now be transmitted to the ADC national leadership for final collation and ratification.

“The election was conducted in the 484 wards of Kano State. We are going to forward the results to the national headquarters, and from there we will know who becomes the presidential flagbearer of the party,” he said.

 

The outcome further strengthens Atiku’s influence within the party structure in Kano, one of Nigeria’s most politically significant states with a large voting population.

Political observers say the margin of victory recorded by the former vice president reflects his strong grassroots support and established political network in northern Nigeria ahead of the next general election.

Supporters of Atiku who gathered at the venue of the announcement celebrated the victory, describing it as a sign of confidence in his leadership experience and national appeal.

Meanwhile, party officials urged members to remain united after the exercise and work towards strengthening the ADC ahead of the presidential election.

The ADC national headquarters is expected to compile results from other states before making an official declaration on the party’s presidential candidate.

Continue Reading

Trending