President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, announced the portfolios of ministers and ministers of state immediately after they were sworn in.
There were a lot of surprises with strong ministries merged together. Expectedly, there were winners and losers in ministerial portfolio drama. We serve it below:
Winners
Babatunde Fashola
As Minister for Works, Housing and Power, Fashola is perhaps the biggest winner in the allocation of ministerial portfolios. Though many have thought that he will be given the assignment to manage the Federal Capital Territory, he has his hands now full with three hitherto powerful ministries combined under him.
Another angle is that despite the opposition from his former political godfather and leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, the immediate past Lagos State governor still landed what can easily be seen as the most envious posting.
Adamu Adamu
Quite unknown within Nigeria’s political terrain, and posted to head the education ministry is seen as a big winner.
His appointment as education minister came to many as a shock when compared to the many professors and former Vice Chancellors in the list of President Buhari’s ministerial nominees.
Mallam Adamu Adamu is an accountant, a public analyst and a columnist with Daily Trust Newspaper.
Usani Usani Uguru
The new minister who was also unknown in Nigeria’s national political arena is here seen as a winner being appointed as Minister of Niger Delta.
The ministry seen as a very important one considering the size of its budget and influence on a number of people and the Niger Delta region as a whole. Many see Usani as being very lucky landing the posting.
Rotimi Amaechi
He is seen as winner considering the level of opposition his nomination received. He would have been an object of grave ridicule if he was given anything less.
Amaechi being posted to head the transport ministry is a boost to his political career and his waning influence in his state of origin.
Kemi Adeosun
President Muhammadu Buhari appointment of Mrs. Kemi Adeosun as the Minister of Finance raised lots of eye brow on Wednesday as many Nigerians believed that the major contender for the job was Amina Mohammed who was named the minister of Environment.
Mohammed currently serves as the Special Adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on post-2015 development planning. She is also the Founder and CEO of the Center for Development Policy Solutions and an Adjunct Professor for the Master’s in Development Practice program at Columbia University. She was also the Founder and Executive Director of Afri-Projects Consortium among other qualification that makes her a better handler of the Nigerian economy.
Adeosun on the hand is considered a winner as she was able to beat out Mohammed.
Before her new appointment, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun was the Honourable State Commissioner for Finance in Ogun State.
Audu Ogbeh
This 68 years old politician, Audu Innocent Ogbeh can be considered a winner as Agriculture is a field he is familiar with.
He has a huge experience in agriculture. It was also believed that he would be named as minister in the named area. There was no shock or surprise factor.
This is also his third appointment as a minister in the Federal Republic of Nigerian.
In 1982 he was appointed Federal Minister of Communications, and later became Minister of Steel Development. His term of office ended in December 1983 when a military coup brought Major-General Muhammadu Buhari to power.
Audu was the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from 2001 until January 2005.
Lai Mohammed
Lai Mohammed was a huge part of why President Buhari Muhammadu won the last elections.
Until his appointment, he served as the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Immediately he was nominated a minister, Nigerians believed he would be rewarded as the minister of Information.
He was named minister of Information with an added cap of culture which has the largest number of parastatals. This implies that Mohammed bags two portfolios fused in one. It is surely a good reward for Mohammed who Nigerians are begging to deliver campaign promises which was filled with bogus propaganda.
Udo Udo Udoma
With his background in the Senate in June 1999, where he was appointed as vice chairman to committees on Public Accounts, Judiciary, Banking & Currency, Science & technology, Privatization and Drug & Narcotics, it not surprising that the President found him worthy to handle Budget and National Planning.
Not many people who have served as Governor in two terms with opposition get a strong role in the ruling party.
Senator Udoma also served as the Special Adviser to the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources between 1993 and 1994.
While mixed reactions have continued to trail Udo Udoma’s nomination for ministerial slot for Akwa Ibom State, not a few people believe that his choice has reunited the two leading parties in the state.
His nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari for appointment is seen by political pundits as a step in the right direction with stakeholders holding that his choice is apt considering the calibre of persons the President has vowed to work with, in the new dispensation.
Dan Ali
The appointment of Brigadier General Dan Ali as Defence Minister came as a surprise to Nigerians as everyone thought that Abdulrahman Dambazau was more qualified for the job. Dambazau was however, named Minister of Interior.
He is a retired Nigerian Army Lieutenant General who served as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) between 2008 and 2010.
Losers
Ogbonnaya Onu
As minister of Science and Technology though wouldn’t have fitted better in any other ministry is perhaps a loser considering his pedigree in politics. Many Nigerians believe that he actually deserves better than a ministerial position.
Recall that Onu was once speculated for the position of Secretary to the Federal Government, a position many felt befitted his personality and achievements in politics.
Kayode Fayemi
As minister solid minerals came to many as a disappointment after being widely speculated for the foreign affairs or education ministry considering his background in international relations and education. Being a square peg in a round hole, he is seen as a loser.
Pundits believe that Fayemi will have to depend on his administrative experience as former governor of Ekiti State to make headway in this rather unfamiliar terrain.
Chris Ngige
An accomplished politician, doctor and retired Director in the Ministry of Health was touted as perfect for the health ministry. Now posted to oversee the rechristened Ministry of Labour and Employment he is seen as a loser.
Also seen as a poorly funded ministry, Ngige will find it difficult to make impact politically being from a state controlled by the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Heineken Lokpobiri, a lawyer and accomplished politician from the Niger Delta many are sure may not have anticipated his posting as a minister of state in the agriculture ministry. He is therefore seen as a loser.
Heineken, a former Senator who has served on the Senate committees on Sports, Public Accounts, Police Affairs, Niger Delta and Millennium Development Goals was expected to be given a role in any of these sectors. He is also seen as a square peg in a round hole.
Ocholi James is seen by many as one of the biggest losers being posted as a minister of state for labour and employment.
As the most Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) among the ministerial nominees, his firm grasp and understanding of the Nigeria’s judicial system as expressed intelligently during his screening at the Senate coupled with his long standing relationship with President Buhari, many had allocated to him in their expectation the position of Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation. Many are still expressing shock at his posting.
Prof. Anthony Onwuka
The former Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University bagged the Minister of State for Education. Ordinarily, it would seem he is lucky but when it is considered that the man posted to head the ministry does not have a strong background in the academia, many see him as having lost out.
Bola Tinubu though not a minister himself is seen as the greatest loser in the whole politics that surrounded the nomination drama. With estranged political sons like Babatunde Fashola and Kayode Fayemi getting very important posting against his desire, he is losing his anticipated influence at the centre.
This is even made worse with his preferred candidates not even nominated at all. Many are not sure of the future of the much celebrated relationship between the influential politician and the President, which saw the PDP kicked out of power at the federal level.

Biggest loser remains Amaechi, he wanted minister of Finance or Niger Delta but got chairman of NURTW instead.
Another loser was Fayemi, he taught foreign affairs ministry was his to keep.

Mogidi:
Biggest loser remains Amaechi, he wanted minister of Finance or Niger Delta but got chairman of NURTW instead.
Another loser was Fayemi, he taught foreign affairs ministry was his to keep.

This Amaechi matter dey pain una well well Is Amaechi the only APC man from the SS + SE?

Amaechi got one of the biggest ministries, Transportation + Aviation. You can go and hug your wet transformer to that.

i think pdp and the wailing wailers are the biggest lossers

Balanced piece

Wetin concern me; Buhari mismatched the portfolios; giving the right portfolio to the wrong people. Ocholi would have been best in the Ministry of Justice, rather his intelligence is being wasted in an inconsequential post; but hey, I am not the president; patiently waiting on how all his miscalculations will turn out.