Controversial Senator Musiliu Obanikoro has been sworn in as minister alongside seven others.
President Goodluck Jonathan swore in Obanikoro and others who were recently confirmed by the Senate before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.
The portfolios assigned to each new appointee are: Minister for Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki; Minister of State, Foreign Affairs I, Prof. Nicholas Ada; Obanikoro got the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs II position; Col. Augustine Akobundu, (Rtd.) sworn in as Minister of State for Defence; Mr. Fidelis Nwankwo got the Minister of State for Health position; Mrs. Hauwa Bappa got the Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs post; Mr. Kenneth Kobani was sworn in as Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment), while Senator Joel Ikeya became the Minister of Labour and Productivity.
Jonathan also named the Minister of State, Health, Khaliru Alhassan, as the Minister of Health.
However, Alhassan has been acting as Supervising Minister of Health since Prof. Onyebuchi Ckukwu resigned in 2014.
Concluding the ceremony, the President warned the new Ministers to brace up for the challenges that would come with being sworn in at an injury time such as this.
