Assignment of portfolios: Buhari springs surprises

From Juliana Taiwo- Obalonye, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, at the swearing of ministers yes­terday, sprang surprises as he as­signed the newly created Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to former Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

Also, he assigned former gov­ernor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, earlier speculated to head the Niger Delta Ministry, to the Ministry of Transportation.

Similarly, former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, is the new Minister of Solid Miner­als as against the prediction that he would head the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Other surprises were Abdulrah­man Dambazau, who became the Minister of Interior, contrary to popular expectation that he would head Defence ministry; and Amina Mohammed, who before now, was touted as likely to head National Planning, but emerged as the Min­ister of Environment.