PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of Sunday Dare and Daniel Bwala as co-spokespersons alongside Bayo Onanuga, marking a recent shake-up in his cabinet.
A statement released late yesterday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), indicated that there will no longer be a sole spokesperson for the president. Instead, Dare and Bwala will work together in the role of presidential spokespersons.
Dare, previously serving as Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation, has been reassigned as Special Adviser for Media and Public Communications. Bwala, who was introduced last week as Special Adviser for Media and Public Communication, will now hold the title of Special Adviser for Policy Communication.
The presidency clarified that this restructuring aims to improve the effectiveness and consistency of communication regarding government policies, decisions, and engagements.
“President Bola Tinubu has reallocated the roles of two recently appointed officials within the State House media and communications team to enhance the efficiency of the government’s communication efforts.
“The re-designation is as follows: Sunday Dare, formerly Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation, is now Special Adviser for Media and Public Communications. Daniel Bwala, recently appointed as Special Adviser for Media and Public Communication, is now Special Adviser for Policy Communication.
“These changes, together with the existing role of Special Adviser for Information and Strategy, illustrate that there is no single spokesperson for the Presidency. All three Special Advisers will collectively fulfill the role of spokespersons for the government.”
In a broader cabinet reshuffle in October, Tinubu dismissed five ministers and appointed seven new ones while also reassigning ten others to different positions.
The dismissed ministers include Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Tahir Mamman (Education), Abdullahi Gwarzo (State for Housing and Urban Development), and Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development).
The newly appointed ministers will require Senate confirmation. The nominees include Nentawe Yilwatda, Muhammadu Dingyadi, Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, Jumoke Oduwole, Idi Maiha, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, and Suwaiba Ahmad.
These changes are part of an effort to strengthen the administration’s capacity for enhanced efficiency in carrying out its commitments to Nigerians.
The eight approved initiatives include:
1. Renaming the Ministry of Niger Delta Development to the Ministry of Regional Development to oversee all Regional Development Commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission, South East Development Commission, North East Development Commission, and North West Development Commission.
2. Dissolving the Ministry of Sports Development and transferring its responsibilities to the National Sports Commission to foster a vibrant sports economy.
3. Merging the Federal Ministry of Tourism with the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to form the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.
4. Reassessing ten ministers to new ministerial roles.
5. Discharging five ministers.
6. Nominating seven new ministers for Senate confirmation.
7. Appointing Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission.
8. Appointing Sunday Akin Dare as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation, based at the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.