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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
In an unprecedented move, the newly sworn-in governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, has forwarded the names of 16 commissioner nominees to be screened by the House of Assembly as members of his cabinet.
Ododo announced the names of the nominees on Saturday shortly after he took the oath of office in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
Ododo took over from Yahaya Bello, the immediate former governor of the state.
“I will today be presenting the names of the following nominees to the Kogi State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation as members of the Kogi State executive council,” he said.
Many of the nominees were those who served as commissioners in Bello’s administration.
The nominees are Farouk Danlami, Salami Ozigi-Deedat, Basiru Abubakar, Adams Abdulaziz, Joseph Oluwaseun, Muzi Yinusa Abdullahi, Wemi Jonze, Rabiatu Okute, Kingsley Fanwo, Fatima Momoh, Mohammed Yusuf, Timothy Ojoma, Sunday Faleke, Taye Abanika, Asiwaju Idris Asiru, and Mohammed Adbulmutalib
The governor asked the assembly to grant the nominees a speedy consideration.
Other Political Appointees
Ododo had also announced the appointment of the secretary to the state government (SSG) and other aides during his inauguration.
The appointees are:
Folashade Arike Ayoade — Secretary to the State Government
Ali Bello — Chief of Staff to the Governor
Hilary Ojoma — Deputy Chief of Staff
Elijah Evinemi — Head of Service
Jerry Omodara — State Security Adviser
Isah Ismail — Special Adviser on Media
Sulaiman Ibrahim — Director-General, Protocol
Oladele John Niyi — Chief Press Secretary
Shaibu Orisa — Director-General, Government House
Femi Adegboyega — State Legal Adviser