Zainab Ahmed no longer Minister of State Budget and Planning ― Presidency

THE newly appointed Supervising Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, has relinquished her post as the Minister of State for Budget and Planning to assume full responsibilities of the Minister of Finance.

This was reflected at Wednesday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) when she left her seat to occupy the one vacated by former Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, in the Council Chamber.

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, confirmed that Zainab is no longer Minister of State following her redeployment to the Finance ministry.

Asked whether she was now a substantive minister, the Special Adviser to the president on media and publicity affirmed that she will now be the Minister of Finance, saying that she was indeed addressed as such at the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He said: “You know she was minister of state budget and national planning, she will relinquish that or she has relinquished that to go and oversee the finance ministry, so that is her status for now.”

Pressed on whether Zainab was a supervising minister, overseeing minister or acting Minister of Finance, he stated: “It is a matter of nomenclature. Yes, but she is overseeing the ministry.”

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Asked how she should be addressed, the presidential spokesman further stated: “What you call her is a matter of nomenclature but if she is overseeing the ministry, then she is.

“But note that she is no longer minister of state budget and national planning for now until anything contrary happens. But for now, she is in charge of the Ministry of Finance.”

Citing the statement announcing Zainab’s redeployment, Adesina stated: “Well, you know that statement was written in English and that statement says she will oversee the ministry of finance. Let’s leave it like that.

“I just told you she is no longer Minister of State budget and National Planning, she will be Minister of Finance. In fact, that was how she was addressed at Council.

“Don’t forget it is also a legal thing if a minister is going to be appointed there are procedures that are why it is a deployment.”

Zainab replaces Adeosun who resigned last Friday following the revelation that she forged National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) Exemption Certificate.