AT LAST! DSS Releases Names of President Buhari’s Ministers (See List)

The Department of State Service (DSS) recently received a much awaited list of 36 ministerial nominees for security screening.

 While DSS carries on the screening indications appeared that three immediate past governors, Babatunde Fashola, Rotimi Amaechi and Kayode Fayemi, have supposedly failed.


Three former governors worked hard for Buhari’s presidential campaign to and were seen as top candidates for positions in the government. Nigerian Pilot reports that the DSS did not clear three ministerial appointees based on claims of corruption brought against them before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC). The source said that the security agency supposedly denied to clear Amaechi, Fashola, Fayemi because of a series of petitions written against them over accusations bordering on money laundering, fraud and misuse.

The insider further added that when the trio appeared before the screening committee, they were opposed with the appeals and other related documents attached to the petitions. They reportedly have received orders from Buhari that any of the appointees with any harmful and fraud related issues should not be cleared by the security agency. Festus Odimegwu, a former managing director of Nigerian Breweries Limited, and a former presidential candidate, Pat Utomi, are also among the ministerial appointees that have been screened.

Those already said to have been screened as nominees for President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet also include a former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and a Lagos-lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN). Also on the list are a former Chief of Army, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (retd.); an ex-chief executive of the Federal Inland Revenue, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru; a former finance commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Wale Edun; and a former National Legal Adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Abubakar Malami (SAN). According to some sources Falana was favoured by a camp in the party to emerge as the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation. A top APC chieftain said the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had persuaded Buhari to appoint Falana. Tinubu and Osinbajo were said to have told Buhari that appointing Falana, who he jailed over 30 years ago, would boost his image as a ‘converted democrat.’ It was, however, learnt that Malami was being favoured by the President. The APC has three former governors in Ekiti State: Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi. “Falana has already been screened by the DSS.

However, Buhari is closer to Malami who is from the North,” a source from APC said. Utomi, a famous economist and former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, had been screened by the DSS and the police. Edun, who served under former Tinubu as Lagos state governor, had also been screened by security agencies. Odimegwu, nominated by the president, fell out with former president Goodluck Jonathan when he openly criticised the federal government. Odimegwu is also close to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Oyinlola, a one-time secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, defected to the APC shortly before the Osun State governorship election and he is a close associate of Obasanjo. Another appointee, who asked not to be named, said: “Although I have met the director-general of the DSS twice, I don’t think such visits could be regarded as screening. “I understand the service has done its research on ministerial nominees. For now, nobody is sure of anything until the names are announced.” See full list below:

1. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Osun State governor and ousted PDP national secretary.
2. Chief Bode Mustapha, former PDP National Auditor and an APC chieftain from Ogun state
3. Engineer Segun Oni, former Ekiti state governor and APC deputy national chairman (South West) 4. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti state
5. Abba Ruma, a former Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
6. Chief Kanu Agabi, a former Minister of Justice.
7. Donald Duke, a former Governor of Cross River state
8. Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past governor of Lagos state
9. Yinka Folashade Oredola
10. Rotimi Akeredolu, a former gubernatorial candidate in Ondo state.
11. Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past governor of Rivers state
12. Engineer Funsho Kupolokun, former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
13. Rabiu Kwankwanso, immediate past governor of Kano state
14. Bisola Adegbenro
15. Isaiah Danjuma, son of General Theophilus Danjuma from Taraba state.
16. Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation.
17. Kehinde Lawanson, a former executive director of First Bank.
18. Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), former Minster of Justice

President Buhari had in Ghana reassured Nigerians and the international community that his cabinet is a must in September. In the lists of supposed ministers, which were circulating in the media, Fashola was predicted as AGF/Minister of Justice, while earlier he was supposed as minister of works and housing.

Under the former governor state administration beholden $1.02bn which signifies 33.86 % of the country’s total sub-national external debts. Ex-governor of Rivers state was set to become new secretary to the government. Amaechi was also accused of dropping state into massive external indebtedness by a coalition of non-governmental organisations interested in transparency and responsibility in governance. Former governor of Ekiti state was also expected to play a key role in Buhari’s cabinet.