President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn the appointment of Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani as the Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (SMDF/PAGMI) just hours after the initial announcement. A statement from presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga had introduced Danfulani as the new appointee. However, a subsequent update revealed that Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, who previously held the position under former President Muhammadu Buhari, would retain her role.
Onanuga's fresh statement clarified that the earlier announcement regarding Danfulani was canceled because there was no vacancy in the agency. It also highlighted that Shinkafi remains crucial to the ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector.
In a related development, President Tinubu made several significant appointments within key national institutions on Friday. Prof. Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, a visiting professor at the National Universities Commission (NUC), was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the NUC. Additionally, Prof. Salisu Shehu, a distinguished academic in educational and human psychology, was named the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). Jabilu Tsauri, who holds a Master’s in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, was appointed the National Coordinator of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
These appointments follow a broader push to fill key roles in the country’s educational and developmental sectors.
