Has Buhari assigned portfolios to Ministers?

WhatsApp groups are buzzing at the moment over a list of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministers.

Depending on which version of the list you are currently viewing, all 43 ministers-designate who were cleared and confirmed by the senate on Tuesday, July 30, 2019, now have portfolios attached to their names.

A version of the list seen by Pulse has all of the returning ministers handed their old portfolios, with Festus Keyamo--the nominee who impressed with his grasp of the issues and eloquence during the screening session—handed the office of sports minister.

President Muhammadu Buhari signing the 2019 Budget into Law at the State House; 27th May 2019. (Twitter/Aso Rock) Twitter/Aso Rock

Former Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola was given the job of Finance Minister, while Jeddy Agba from Cross River was named Minister of State for Petroleum. Buhari retained the portfolio of Petroleum Minister in the counterfeit list.

To break it to you rather nicely, the list of minister-designates being recycled from your grandfather’s WhatsApp group to yours and from your colleague’s phone to his uncle’s and then to yours, is a fake.

We have seen 5 different versions of the list already in 5 days which tells you that folks are drawing up this whole thing from the comfort of their living rooms. Everyone is simply guessing.

Why you shouldn’t believe the portfolio list you are currently viewing

For one, the chances of a list of ministers with assigned portfolios first dropping on your mum's WhatsApp group are rather slim.

Remember the fake ministerial lists that made the rounds on WhatsApp before the Senate President unveiled the authentic version? Yeah, the one that had former Governors Ambode of Lagos and Ajimobi of Oyo as nominees? Yeah, that one.

Ekiti Gov Fayemi and former Oyo Gov Ajimobi taking a walk at an event (Punch) Pulse Nigeria

The list you are currently viewing is from the same copybook and producers; and you should disregard it with all the knowledge you garnered from your school days.

President Buhari would only assign portfolios to ministers-designate after a formal inauguration of the federal executive council at a yet to be announced date.

After the nominees were confirmed by the senate, President Buhari said: “I welcome the conclusion of the confirmation process for ministerial nominees. I commend the senate for speedily attending to this very important task. Portfolios will be assigned when the cabinet is formally inaugurated. I look forward to working with this very capable team”.

Buhari presides over his first term FEC (Presidency) Pulse Nigeria

A statement from the Nigerian presidency also disclosed as much: “This is a fine, capable and committed group of individuals. Working together, they shall help achieve what we all want and labour toward: a secure, prosperous, corruption-free nation in which nobody is left behind, and talents can flourish. Specific portfolios shall be assigned with the inauguration of the cabinet”.

A couple of presidency aides have also told Pulse that all the lists making the rounds on WhatsApp are fake and that nothing has been leaked from their end because there's really nothing to leak at the moment.

The cabinet will probably be inaugurated next week and all ministers-designate would know their fates on the day and the nation would of course be informed via statements to the press.

Any other process should not be believed.