Swears in Gusau, others
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday relieved the Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, Bolaji Abdullahi, of his appointment.
Abdullahi, who was deployed to Ministry of Sports from the Ministry of Youth Development, is said to be on his way to Poland to attend Indoor Athletics Championship when his sack was announced by the president.
Jonathan made the announcement while assigning portfolios to the 11 new ministers that were sworn in shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chambers of Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The ministers sworn in are Senator Muhammadu Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos), Minister of State Defence; Mohammed Wakil (Borno), Minister of State Power; Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan (Osun), Minister of Police Affairs; Ambassador Aminu Wali (Kano), Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Mrs Akon Eyakenyi (Akwa Ibom), Minister of Land and Housing.
Others are Lawrencia Laraba Mallam (Kaduna), Minister of Environment; Hajiya Asabe Asmau Ahmed (Niger), Minister of State for Agriculture; retired General Aliyu Gusau (Zamfara), Minister of Defence; Mr. Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Minister of Youth Development; and Dr Khaliru Alhassan (Sokoto), Minister of State for Health.
Jonathan announced that more ministers would be appointed next week, an indication that existing would be shown the door for their replacements.
“Next week more ministers will come in. After that we would have clear cut discussion of how the FEC will run,” he said.
“We must listen to the people. I want you to see yourselves as servants. If by the time you are leaving, you cannot say that you have brought some innovations with your creativity, then you have failed.
“Your duty is to ensure that you bring positive changes. You have to relate well with your colleagues. Because of the conflict between the ministers and ministers of state, we will make sure we review the schedules to curtail such conflicts,” he added.
