9th July, 2014
President Goodluck Jonathan has sworn-in the four new ministers whose nomination was approved by the National Assembly last week just before the beginning of the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting on Wednesday 9 July.
The four ministers are Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Stephen Oru, Adedayo Adeyeye and Abdul Bulama.
The President also announced the portfolios for the new ministers and also effected a minor reshuffle of the cabinet.
Mallam Shekarau who defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party few months ago was appointed the Minister of Education while Chief Adeyeye was named Minister of State for Works. Oru was appointed Minister of Niger Delta while Bulama was named Minister of Science and Technology.
In the cabinet reshuffle, the President moved the current Minister of State for Works, Bashir Yuguda to be the Minster of State for Finance and substantive Minister of National Planning.
President Jonathan while congratulating the new ministers on their appointment, urged them to work hard not to only impress him but also Nigerians as they were coming in at the ‘injury time’.
He asked them to quickly adjust and begin work.
“This government has less than a year to go and you have been brought in this time, so you know the reason why you have been brought in.”
“You have no time to sleep, unfortunately for you because first you have to learn how to climb the ropes, because maybe it is a different setting, no matter how experienced you are if you go to something different you will need some time to adjust.
“But from your background we know that all of you are eminently qualified to be here and we know that it will not take you too many hours to settle down. We believe that you will perform not just to satisfy Mr President but to satisfy Nigerians,” Jonathan said.