Gbajabiamila missing as Tinubu's appointments spark regional imbalance outcry

The Presidency has released a comprehensive list of President Bola Tinubu’s appointments to date in response to growing criticism over alleged regional imbalance in key government positions.

The list was made public by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and aims to counter claims that the administration has favored the South West region disproportionately.

According to the list, the South West accounts for 29 presidential appointees—five more than the 24 initially cited by Dare.

Error in the presidency's list

Notably absent from the document is Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s Chief of Staff and one of his earliest appointees, announced on June 2, 2023. Critics have pointed out that the South East appears underrepresented in the administration.

Meanwhile, observers note that a significant number of appointees from the South West, the President’s home region, occupy what are often described as “juicy” or high-profile positions.

The release appears to be a direct response to mounting pressure on the Presidency to clarify its stance and approach to national inclusion.

“This list is about transparency and setting the record straight,” Dare stated.

Checks by Pulse Nigeria confirmed that Dare deleted the earlier list posted on X and admitted to the error on the list. However, no official reason was given for the omission of Gbajabiamila.

"We have noticed a number of errors in the list of appointments tweeted. We are sorry. We will provide at an updated list later. Thank you," Dare appealed to Nigerians on X.

The document has sparked further debate, with analysts urging the administration to be more deliberate about balancing appointments to foster national unity.

Full LIST

South West:

1. Bosun Tijani
   Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy

2. Wale Edun
   Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy

3. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo
   Minister of Interior

4. Adebayo Adelabu

   Minister of Power

5. Dele Alake

   Minister of Solid Minerals Development

6. Dr. Jumoke Oduwole

   Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

7. Adegboyega Oyetola

   Minister of Marine & Blue Economy

8. Olayemi Cardoso

   CBN Governor

9. Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja

   Chief of Army Staff

10. Kayode Egbetokun

    Inspector General of Police

11. Zaccheus Adedeji

    Chairman, FIRS

12. Adeola Ajayi

    Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS)

13. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

    Comptroller-General of Customs

14. Olanipekun Olukoyede

    Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

15. Kayode Isiak Opeifa

    Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation

16. Oluwasegun Faleye

    Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund

17. Vincent Olatunji

    (NSITF)

18. Raji Kazeem Kolawole

    Managing Director /CEO, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT)

19. Bayo Onanuga

    Director General, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI)

20. Sunday Dare

    Special Adviser on Information and Strategy

21. Tope Kolade Fasua

    Special Adviser on Public Communications Orientation

22. Peju Adedajo

    Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters (Office of the VP)

23. Temitola Asekunle-Johnson

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Investment & Privatisation (Office of VP)

24. Mariam Temitope

    Senior Special Assistant to the President, Job Creation & NSMEs (Office of VP)

25. Tunde Rahman

    Senior Special Assistant to the President, Regional Development Programmes

26. Moremi Ojudu

    SSAP on Community Engagement

27. Tope Ajayi

    SSA, Media and Public Affairs

28. Segun Dada

    Special Assistant, Social Media

29. Demola Oshodi

    SSA, Protocol

North Central:

1. Shuaibu Audu

   Minister of Steel Development

2. Muhammed Idris

   Minister of Information

3. Zaphanian Jisalo

   Minister of Special Duties

4. Lateef Fagbemi

   Minister of Justice

5. Joseph Utsev

   Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation

6. Nentawe Yilwatde

   Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction

7. Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim

   Minister of State, Police Affairs

8. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi

   Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security

9. Bashir Bayo Ojulari

   GMD, NNPC Limited

10. Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed

    Director General, National Intelligence Agency

11. Dr. Idris A. Sulaimon

    Director General, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC)

12. Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi
    Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps

13. Engr. Jaji O. Abdulganiyu
    Controller General of the Federal Fire Service

14. Kemi Nandap

    Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service

15. Haruna Y. Usman

    Chairman, Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority

16. Dangajere Shuaibu Bawa Jaja
    Managing Director, Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority

17. Dr. Amos Gizo Yadukso

    Chairman, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority

18. Engr. Ninga Terese

    Managing Director, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority

19. Abiodun Essiet
    SSAP on Community Engagement

20. Gimba Kakanda

    Senior Special Assistant to the President, Research and Analytics (Office of the VP)

21. Isaq Ahmed Ningi,

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital media & Emergency Management

22. Mr. Aliyu Audu,

    Special Assistant to the President, Public Affairs

23. Sen. Ibrahim Oloriege
    Chairman, NHIA

24. Tunde Ajibulu,

    Deputy Executive Secretary (Services), UBEC

25. Sunday Sylva Togo Echono
    Executive Secretary, TETFUND

North East:

1. Abubakar Kyari

   Minister of Agriculture and Food Security

2. Idi Mukhtar Maiha

   Minister of Livestock Development

3. Sa’idu Alkali

   Minister of Tranportation

4. Yusuf Tuggar

   Minister of Foreign Affairs

5. Muhammad Ali Pate

   Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare

6. Ibrahim Gaidam

   Minister of Police Affairs

7. Uba Maigari Ahmadu

   Minister of State for Regional Development

8. Ahmadu Musa Kida

   NNPCL Non-executive Chairman.

9. Nuhu Ribadu

   National Security Adviser

10. Mohammed Buba Marwa
    Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency

11. Hajiya Hafsat Bakari

    CEO, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit

12. Prof. Abdu Dauda

    Chairman, Chad Basin Development Authority

13. Tijjani Musa Tumsa

    Managing Director, Chad Basin Development Authority

14. Alh. Sanusi Mohammed Babantanko

    Chairman, Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority

15. Abdulhamid Yahaya Abba
    SSAP on Community Engagement

16. Dr. Bala Mohammed

    Deputy Governor, CBN

17. Aliyu Modibbo Umar

    Special Adviser (SAD), General Duties

18. Sadiq Wanna
    Special Adviser (SAD), to the President on Power Infrastructure (Office of the VP)

19. Usman Muhammad

    SSA to the President on Administration & Office Accommodation (Office of the VP)

20. Nasir Yammama

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Innovation (Office of the VP)

21. Bashir Maidugu

    Deputy State House Counsel (Senior Special Assistant to the President)

22. Dr. Daniel Bwala,

    Special Adviser on Media and Policy Communications

23. Mr. Francis Adah Abah

    Personal Assistant to the President, Special Duties

24. Mumuni Dagazau

    Executive Vice President for Downstream

North West:

1. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar
   Minister of Defence

2. Hannatu Musawa

   Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy

3. Ahmed Dangiwa

   Minister of Housing and Urban Development

4. Bello Goronyo

   Minister of State for Water Resources

5. Yusuf Tanko Sununu

   Minister of State for Education

6. Bello Matawalle

   Minister of State for Defence

7. Hajiya Hafsat Bakari

   CEO, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit

8. General Christopher Gwabin Musa
   Chief of Defence Staff

9. Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar
   Chief of Air Staff

10. Haliru Nababa

    Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service

11. Shehu Usman Mohammed
    Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission

12. Aminu Maida

    EVC, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

13. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi
    Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)

14. Brig Gen YD Ahmed

    Director-General, National Youth Service Corps

15. Mohammed Buba Marwa
    Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency

16. Abdullahi U. Ganduje

    Chairman, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)

17. H. E. Abdullahi U. Ganduje
    Chairman, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria

18. Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu

    Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission

19. Nasiru Gawuna

    Chairman, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria

20. Musa Sarkin Adar

    Chairman, National Inland Waterways Authority

21. H. E. Nasiru Gawuna

    Chairman, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria

22. H.E Aminu Bello Masari

    Chairman, TETFUND

23. Alh. Bashir Usman Gumel
    Chairman, Federal Medical Centre, Yola

24. Dr. Mohammed Gusau Hassan
    Chairman, Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kudu

25. Isa Sadiq Achida

    Chairman, Raw Materials Research and Development Council

26. Amb. Abubakar Shehu Wurno
    Chairman, Sokoto-Rima River Basin Development Authority

27. Major Gen. Jubril Abdulmalik
    Secretary, Civil Defence, Immigration and Prisons Services Board

28. Dr Mohammed Mohammed Aminu

    Registrar/Chief Executive Officer (NABTEB)

29. Abdullahi Tanko Yakassai
    SSAP on Community Engagement

30. Sani Dattijo

    Deputy Governor, CBN

31. Rukaiya El-Rufai

    Special Adviser to President on NEC & Climate Change (Office of the VP)

32. Hakeem Baba Ahmed

    Special Adviser (SAD), on Political Matters (Office of VP)

33. Muhammad Bulama

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Politics/Special Duties (office of the VP)

34. Zainab Yunusa

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on NEC (Office of the VP)

35. Abdulaziz Abdulaziz

    Senior Special Assistant to the President, Print Media

36. Ibrahim Masari

    SSA Politics

South South:

1. Festus Keyamo

   Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development

2. Ekperipe Ekpo

   Minister of State, Gas Resources

3. Heineken Lokpobiri

   Minister of State, Petroleum Resources

4. John Enoh

   Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment

5. Nyesom Wike

   Minister of Federal Capital Territory

6. Abubakar Momoh

   Minister of Regional Development

7. Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla

   Chief of Naval Staff

8. Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye

   Chief of Defence Intelligence

9. Emomotimi Agama

   Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

10. Mrs. Glory Ekpo Oho

    Managing Director, Cross River Basin Development Authority

11. Sen. Magnus Abe

    Chairman, National Agency for the Great Green Wall

12. Chief (Barr.) Ebikemi Boi Bosin
    Chairman, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority

13. Hon. Amgbare Ebitimi

    Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority

14. Mr. Saleh Abubakar

    Director-General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW)

15. Dr. Dakorinama Alabo George
    Director-General, Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA).

16. Gift Johnbull
    SSAP on Community Engagement

17. Emem Nnana Usoro

    CBN Deputy Governor

18. O’tega Ogra
    SSA, Digital/New Media to the President

19. Mrs. Linda Nwabuwa Akhigbe
    SSA, Strategic Communications

20. Rowland Ewubare

    Group Chief Operating Officer, NNPCL

21. Nosa Asemota

    Special Assistant, Visual Communications to the President

22. Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey

    Project Coordinator, HYPREP

South East:

1. Dr. Doris Anite Uzoka

   Minister of State for Finance

2. Bianca Ojukwu

   Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

3. Nkeiru Onyejiocha

   Minister of State for Labour

4. Sen. Dave Umahi

   Minister of Works

5. Dr. Uche Nnaji

   Minister of Science and Technology

6. Uzoma Nwagba

   MD, Credicorp

7. Rt. Hon. Emeka Nduka

   Managing Director, Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority

8. Adesua Dozie

   Company Secretary and Chief Legal Officer, NNPCL

9. Hon. Mark Okoye

   MD/CEO, South-East Development Commission (SEDC)

10. Philip Ikeazor

    Deputy Governor for Financial System Stability, CBN

11. Sophia Mbakwe

    Executive Vice President of Business Services, NNPCL

12. Mr. John Ugochukwu Uwajumogu
    Special Adviser, Industry, Trade and Investment

13. Chioma Nweze

    SSAP on Community Engagement

14. Kingsley Stanley Nkwocha SSA to the President, Media and Communication (Office of VP)

15. Kingsley Uzoma

    SSA to the President on Agribusiness & Productivity Enhancement (Office of VP)

16. Mr. Fredrick Nwabufo

    SSA to the President on Public Engagement