President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Sunday Dare and Daniel Bwala as co-spokespersons for the presidency, working in collaboration with Bayo Onanuga.
In a statement released late Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, it was clarified that the presidency will no longer have a single spokesperson. Instead, Dare and Bwala will jointly serve as spokespersons alongside Onanuga.
Sunday Dare, who previously held the position of Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation, has been reassigned as Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications. Similarly, Daniel Bwala, who was recently named Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication, is now designated as Special Adviser on Policy Communication.
This restructuring aims to enhance the efficiency and consistency of communication regarding government policies, decisions, and initiatives. According to the presidency, the new arrangement reflects a commitment to a more robust communication strategy.
The updated roles are as follows:
Sunday Dare: Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications
Daniel Bwala: Special Adviser, Policy Communication
These appointments, along with the existing position of Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, ensure that the presidency’s communication responsibilities are shared among three advisers, emphasizing a collaborative approach.
Ministers Reshuffled and Dismissed
In addition to the communications shake-up, the president reassigned ten ministers and dismissed five others. Those relieved of their positions include Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Tahir Mamman (Education), Abdullahi Gwarzo (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development).
Seven new ministerial nominees—Nentawe Yilwatda, Muhammadu Dingyadi, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Jumoke Oduwole, Idi Maiha, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, and Suwaiba Ahmad—have been proposed, pending Senate confirmation.
Eight Strategic Actions to Boost Efficiency
To further enhance the administration’s effectiveness, President Tinubu approved eight significant measures:
- Ministry Renaming: The Ministry of Niger Delta Development has been renamed the Ministry of Regional Development, now overseeing all Regional Development Commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission, South East Development Commission, North East Development Commission, and North West Development Commission.
- Sports Ministry Closure: The Ministry of Sports Development will be dissolved, with its functions transferred to the National Sports Commission to foster a dynamic sports economy.
- Ministry Merger: The Federal Ministries of Tourism and Arts and Culture have been combined to form the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.
- Ministerial Reassignments: Ten ministers have been assigned new portfolios.
- Ministerial Dismissals: Five ministers have been relieved of their duties.
- New Ministerial Nominations: Seven nominees will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
- National Sports Commission Chairmanship: Shehu Dikko has been appointed as Chairman of the National Sports Commission.
- Special Adviser Appointment: Sunday Dare will now serve as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation under the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
These decisions are part of President Tinubu’s broader strategy to enhance government operations and fulfill his promises to Nigerians.
