Osinbajo to swear in new ministers

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will on Wednesday swear in the two ministers-designate who were screened and confirmed by the senate in April. Laolu Akande, spokesman of the acting president, disclosed this in a tweet on Tuesday evening.

According to The Cable, the ministers are Stephen Ocheni (Kogi) and Suleiman Hassan (Gombe). There have been reactions over the delay in inaugurating the ministers who are to replace the late James Ocholi and Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations (UN).

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, refused to be specific about the time when they would be sworn in.

“The swearing in will be done sooner than you expect,” Adesina had said. “I like the word soon that you used because that is the real position. The ministers will be sworn in soon, sooner than you think it will happen.”

On July 11, the House of Representatives gave a seven-day ultimatum to Osinbajo to inaugurate the ministers, but nothing was heard from the lawmakers after the deadline elapsed and oath was not administered on the cabinet members.