Jonathan Reshuffles Cabinet as FEC Approves $21.459m for Aviation

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday effected some minor changes in his cabinet following the resignation of seven ministers who left the cabinet to run for elective offices in their respective states.

Those who resigned were the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who is running for the governorship position in Rivers State;  Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu (Ebonyi), and Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos).

Others were Minister of State for Niger Delta, Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Labour Minister, Emeka Wogu (Abia), and Information Minister, Labaran Maku (Nasarawa).

The reshuffling of the cabinet was disclosed at a press briefing by Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 1, who now oversees the Information Ministry.

Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd), according to Nurudeen, had been detailed to take over the functions of Obanikoro who also resigned as the minister of state in the same ministry to run for the Lagos State governorship position.

Professor Viola Onwuliri, who until yesterday was the Minister of State Foreign Affairs 1, was moved to the Ministry of Education as Minister of State to replace Wike.

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, was mandated to serve as substantive Minister of Health, the portfolio last held by Chukwu.

Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, would oversee the functions of the former minister of state in the same ministry.

The Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs,  Kabiru Turaki, would now oversee the Ministry of Labour vacated by Wogu, while the substantive Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Dr. Steven Oru, will combine the office of Ishaku, who resigned to contest for the Taraba State governorship election, with his own.