In a recent interview on Channels Television’s program Political Paradigm from 4:44, Kenneth Okonkwo, a prominent Labour Party member, criticized the federal cabinet’s regional representation under President Bola Tinubu. Okonkwo emphasized that the South West currently holds eight substantive ministerial positions, representing 25% of the 32-member cabinet, despite being just one of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. In contrast, the South South and South East zones reportedly hold three and two substantive ministerial roles, respectively, raising concerns about equitable distribution of political representation across regions.
Okonkwo noted that the South East, encompassing five states, holds just two substantive ministerial posts, equivalent to only 6% of the cabinet. Similarly, the South South, comprising six states, holds three substantive roles. “Ogun State alone has more substantive ministers than the entire South East,” he remarked, highlighting key posts from the South West, including the Ministries of Power, Industry, Interior, Finance, and others.
Further, Okonkwo questioned the legality of the “Ministers of State” appointments, suggesting this designation is constitutionally dubious. He referenced Festus Keyamo’s recent comments in the Fiscal Responsibility Council (FRC), where Keyamo criticized the President’s approach to filling ministerial positions, arguing that labeling appointments as “Ministers of State” circumvents constitutional obligations to appoint full ministers.
Okonkwo warned that skewed ministerial appointments could undermine national unity and compromise loyalty to Tinubu’s administration, as public perception of ethnic bias may strain the government’s ability to foster a sense of belonging across all regions of Nigeria.
WHAT HE SAID
“This government has 8 substantive Ministers from South West. That’s about 25% of the 32 Ministers in Nigeria. In South South, 6 States, with the South West, they have only three Substantive Ministers, that’s about 9%. In the South East, they have two, that’s about 6% Ministers. So out of the 32, you see how Ogun State alone has more Substantive Ministers than the entire South East and then equal Ministers from the South South and I can name them if you want. Minister of Power, Industry, Interior, Finance, Communication, Education, Marine Resources, Solid Mineral from South West and then you talk about South East, Works, Science. Two Substantive Ministers.
“There’s nothing like Ministers of State, that’s a contraption of the President. That’s why Festus Keyamo, said it at the FRC meeting that it’s illegal. It’s not illegal because they Ministers of State. It’s illegal because the President is using it to say he has given a State, a substantive ministry which is illegal. In the South South, you have the FCT, Aviation and Regional Development. So this government has continued in the line of governing this country with preponderance of people from the South West, his own geopolitical zone, portraying him as Ethnic bigot, portraying him as a man incapable of uniting Nigeria and giving people sense of belonging and the danger is that his government will never get the loyalty that it needs to govern.”