President Bola Tinubu has made an unexpected alteration to the list of ministerial nominees, replacing Maryam Shetty, a nominee from Kano State, with Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure.
The sudden replacement of Maryam Shetty, who was part of the second batch of 19 Ministerial Nominees sent to the Senate on Wednesday, August 2, has raised questions due to the absence of any provided reason for the change.
Maryam Shetty, originally scheduled for screening on Friday, arrived at the National Assembly complex for the screening process. However, to her surprise, news of her replacement reached her while at the Parliament.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Replaces Maryam Shetty, Picks Mahmoud, Keyamo as Ministerial Nominees
The Senate’s Order Paper for Friday, August 4, 2023, revealed Shetty’s listing as the 12th nominee to be reviewed by the Senators. She arrived at the venue, greeted by smiles and pleasantries. However, the atmosphere changed dramatically when President Tinubu communicated her replacement with Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure in a message sent to the Senate on the same day.
Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, a former Commissioner for Higher Education in Kano State during the immediate-past administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has been introduced as Shetty’s replacement.
The manner in which this last-minute alteration was handled has garnered criticism from some Nigerians. While acknowledging that Ministerial appointments are at the discretion of the President, they expressed the view that a courteous approach, involving prior communication with the nominee about the change, would have saved Maryam Shetty from the embarrassment she experienced at the National Assembly.
